Apple Cider Donut Loaf

Tis the season for work parties, holiday get togethers, school celebrations, family events and about a dozen other obligations that quickly fill our calendars this time of year. Don’t get me wrong, so much of what this season brings is fun and even downright magical.

There’s never a better time to get together with friends or to sneak out for that date night. There are concerts and movies, caroling and a plethora of opportunities to do special traditions with your kids or family members during this time of year. The lists are long; the busyness at an all-time high.

All the women in my family gather in December for a special night together, just us. It’s grandma, her daughters and daughters-in-laws and granddaughters. We spend the day Christmas shopping, eating good food and entertaining the little ones. At the end of the day we pile into a hotel room together and put on our matching jammies. There’s hot chocolate (and wine too) and of course, a Christmas movie playing in the background. We laugh and laugh, telling stories, teasing and comparing what we found shopping. Sometimes we play a game or two but mostly we just hang out and enjoy each others company.

This year we decided to bring snacks and treats to share and I was on the hunt to find something easy to make but that would still feel special and most importantly, a recipe that could travel well without spilling, breaking or crumbling from a car ride. I found it in this delicious and oh so special Apple Cider Donut Loaf Cake.

Should you find yourself needing to bring a hostess gift to a party or a food item for a shared buffet or family-style meal, or grasping for something special to give for a teacher or neighbor gift, this is the recipe for you.

Perfect for this time of year, this cozy cake has all the flavors of your favorite apple cider donut or apple fritter donut in the easy-to-make shape of a loaf cake. Packed with cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint of ginger, the cake is light and fluffy with bits of tart Honey crisp apple folded into the batter. Topped with cinnamon sugar and a super simple apple cider glaze, the cake is crumbly and tender for days making it the perfect recipe to make ahead and gift to all your favorite people throughout the season. Not to mention, it makes for a lovely dessert but could just as easily be enjoyed for breakfast with a cup of coffee.

Apple cider gets reduced down until its thick and sweetly fragrant. Combined with a little applesauce, it all gets folded into the cake batter. While the extra step might feel like a bit of a hassle, the effort is well worth it. Once the cake cools, slice into generous pieces to serve or simply wrap in parchment paper or a pretty dish towel and its ready to be gifted.

Apple Cider Donut Loaf Cake

• 1 1/2 cups apple cider*

• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 cup peeled Honey crisp apple, diced

Topping

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons reserved apple cider

• 1 tablespoon softened butter

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. Wash, peel and dice a Honey crisp apple. Depending on the size of the apple, you may not need the whole apple to make one cup but typically a medium-size apple is just right.

Place the apple cider in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring frequently until the cider reduces to 3/4 cup, about 6 to 8 minutes. Once the cider has reduced, turn the heat off, remove the pan from the stove and set aside to cool briefly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, mixing after each addition. Finally, add the vanilla extract and mix once more.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Whisk to mix well.

Combine the slightly cooled cider with the applesauce. Alternating between flour and apple cider mixture, add them to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, making sure to gently stir after each addition. Once a batter just barely forms, turn the mixer off. Stir in the apple pieces using a spatula, gently mixing to incorporate throughout the batter.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture generously over the top of the bread.

Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Using the parchment paper, carefully lift the loaf out of the pan. In another small bowl, combine the softened butter and 2 tablespoons of the leftover apple cider. Brush it over the top of the warm bread. Sprinkle with the last of the cinnamon sugar mixture and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooking. Slice into pieces to serve.