So, let’s just get into it. Are you #teamsummer or #teamfall? It’s not a trick question, we promise. In fact you could choose both. Summer is awesome, but give fall a chance if you think you just aren’t ready to say goodbye to sunshine and sunbathing. Fall has it’s own unique charm and perks. Seriously…don’t sleep on fall y’all.
As we always say…it’s the gateway (drug) to all things holiday…and all things holiday baking season! 
Who doesn’t love that?! Anyways…it’s a chance to slowly start transitioning yourself and your surroundings for the next few months to come. It’s not rushing you (I think this is why we love fall)…it starts with a few cooler days, some falling leaves you start to see and hear as you walk over them, the crisp smell begins to arrive in the air…all signs giving your brain some time to say…oh, hey. Hello fall. Then, when you are ready you start to dust off those pie pans, pull out all the little seasonal decor trinkets you have a storage container full of saying “Fall is the Best of All” and “Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice…”. We all have them. It’s okay. No judgment here.
And then we enter the kitchen and think…well, fall is here. Let’s celebrate! And, today we going to do just that. Like everyone else, we have really embraced the chance to gather outdoors safely, and one of those opportunities is of course apple picking. We found ourselves just like a handful of you starring at baskets full of freshly picked apples 
and nothing specific to do with them. May we suggest a few things?
#1 – make our Easy Homemade Apple Cider– it’s so delicious y’all, and so easy! One pot on the stove, simmer for a few hours. Done!
#2 – make our fan favorite Cinnamon Apple Hand Pies…
#3 – whip up some Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips (awesome snack!)
#4 – create these Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups…
#5 – make these incredibly easy and delicious Apple Cider Donut Mini Bundt Cakes… 
*TIP: You can also enjoy #1 and #5 together as these mini cakes feature our incredible Easy Homemade Apple Cider, and we highly encourage you to try making your own (it’s so easy!). If you are low on time, no problem – store bought works just fine.
Now to these Homemade Apple Cider Donuts…(because homemade is seriously so much better than the ones you buy at the orchard… #sorrynotsorry).
Happy Fall, Y’all! 
For Mini Cakes
• 3 cups (360 g) unbleached all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup applesauce, room temperature
• 1 cup apple cider, room temperature (P.S. Want to make your own? Make our Easy Homemade Apple Cider 
)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
• 1/4 cup apple cider, room temperature
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Step by Step
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a mini Bundt pan generously with non-stick spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine sugar, brown sugar and oil. Mix on medium speed to combine for 2 minutes.
6. Add the eggs one at a time to the sugar mixture and mix on medium speed for about two more minutes.
8. Add applesauce and vanilla. Mix to combine for 1 minute.
9. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the apple cider. Add remaining cider, then flour and mix until combined. The batter should be a bit thin.
10. Next, pour the batter into the mini Bundt pan cavities until about 2/3 full and bake for 25 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if they are done by poking in the center of the mini cakes and it comes out with a few crumbs on it.
12. Let the mini cakes cool for 20 minutes in the pan before turning them out over onto a cooling rack. Let cool for another 10 minutes.
13. While the cakes cool, mix together the 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small shallow dish.
14. Next, brush each mini cake with some additional apple cider using a pastry brush.
15. Next gently turn face down each mini cake into the sugar cinnamon mixture and turn until fully coated. Alternatively, you could simply sprinkle the mixture on top of each mini cake.
16. Store mini cakes at room temperature in a airtight container for up to 5 days. You could also store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Simply remove from fridge and let warm to room temperature before enjoying, or re-warm in the oven again at 325 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
Note: You could easily make these donuts instead of mini Bundt cakes – just swap your Bundt pan for a donut pan and bake 15-20 minutes. Or, make a full sized Bundt cake using the same steps, but bake for 50 minutes.
Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pays us a small commission for our referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Cookies & Calligraphy!
Did you recreate this recipe? Share with us! Be sure to tag your recreations of this recipe on Instagram and Facebook with @cookiesandcalligraphy and include the tag #cookiesandcalligraphy.
Apple Cider Donut Mini Bundt Cakes
Equipment
- Mini Bundt Cake Pan
- Stand Mixer (or Hand Mixer)
Ingredients
For Bundt Mini Cakes
- 3 cups 360 g unbleached all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup applesauce room temperature
- 1 cup apple cider room temperature (P.S. Want to make your own? Make our Easy Homemade Apple Cider 😉)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup apple cider room temperature
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a mini Bundt pan generously with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine sugar, brown sugar and oil. Mix on medium speed to combine for 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the sugar mixture and mix on medium speed for about two more minutes.
- Add applesauce and vanilla. Mix to combine for 1 minute.
- With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the apple cider. Add remaining cider, then flour and mix until combined. The batter should be a bit thin.
- Next, pour the batter into the mini Bundt pan cavities until about 2/3 full and bake for 25 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if they are done by poking in the center of the mini cakes and it comes out with a few crumbs on it.
- Let the mini cakes cool for 20 minutes in the pan before turning them out over onto a cooling rack. Let cool for another 10 minutes.
- While the cakes cool, mix together the 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small shallow dish.
- Next, brush each mini cake with some additional apple cider using a pastry brush.
- Next gently turn face down each mini cake into the sugar cinnamon mixture and turn until fully coated. Alternatively, you could simply sprinkle the mixture on top of each mini cake.
- Store mini cakes at room temperature in a airtight container for up to 5 days. You could also store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Simply remove from fridge and let warm to room temperature before enjoying, or re-warm in the oven again at 325 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
