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Spiced Apple Cider Donut Loaf

Spiced apple cider donut loaf with a buttery cinnamon-sugar crust and soft ivory crumb. Reduced apple cider concentrates the apple flavor, while baking produces a crackling sugar coating you’d normally expect from a donut shop.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 245
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

apple cider
  • 1.5 cup apple cider Reduce to 1/2 cup before cooling.
butter
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter Melted; use some for brushing and some for topping.
sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar Plus extra for topping.
eggs
  • 2 large eggs
sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
dry ingredients
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp apple pie spice
topping
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter Melted for topping and brushing.
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar For cinnamon sugar coating.
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 small saucepan

Method
 

Reduce the cider
  1. Simmer the apple cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes, then let it cool completely.
Bake the loaf
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment.
  2. Whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, sour cream, and cooled reduced cider until smooth.
  3. Stir in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and apple pie spice until just combined, then pour the batter into the pan.
  4. Bake for 50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
Coat with cinnamon sugar
  1. Brush the warm loaf with melted butter, then coat generously in cinnamon sugar made from melted butter, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon.

Notes

Reduce the cider until it becomes syrupy—this concentrates the apple flavor so the loaf tastes like a spiced donut. Store wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days or in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat sour cream for a slightly less rich crumb while keeping the same bake time.