This apple cider cake with bourbon icing is a boozy dream of a layer cake. The cake has all the best parts of an apple cider donut; reduced apple cider, Honeycrisp apples, and so many warm spices. It's then topped with an incredible bourbon cream cheese frosting!
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Why This Recipe Works:
- This layer cake is so delicious because it takes all the favors of an apple cider donut and an apple cider cocktail and turns it into a gorgeous layer cake!
- Reduced apple cider concentrates all that great flavor and adds moisture to the cake. The cider I used is Trader Joe's.
- The base for the bourbon icing is a cream cheese frosting, but it isn't as tangy as most cream cheese frostings, and you can definitely taste the bourbon, which makes it a real party.
- Its the perfect fall recpie and I also have paired down cupcake version too, these Bourbon Apple Cider Cupcakes.
About this recipe:
- Taste - Apple Cider, apple spice, and bourbon!
- Texture - fluffy and tender cake with cream cheese frosting.
- Effort - Medium; the cake and the frosting are easy to make, but layer cakes do take a little bit more time and concentration.
- Time - about 1 hour 30 minutes from start to finish.
Key Ingredients:
- Apple Cider: apple cider is key in an apple cider cake; it helps the cake to taste like apple cider. Any cider will do, but I would not substitute for plain apple juice.
- Honeycrisp Apples: Honeycrisp apples are more sweet than tart, which makes them perfect for this cake. Feel free to substitute for another sweet variety like a Fuji or Gala apple.
- Vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice: this occasion cake is all about the spices. The balance of these flavors brings out and complements the cider perfectly.
- Bourbon: Bourbon is what makes the cream cheese frosting really pop! If you don't like bourbon or want non-alcoholic icing, use any cream cheese icing recipe you like! For the bourbon, I used Woodford Reserve.
How to make this recipe:
Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.
Add in the milk and vanilla.
Followed by the flour, spices, salt, and baking powder.
Mix until there are no streaks left.
Add in the pureed apples and reduced apple cider and mix to combine.
Divide the mixture evenly between the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes.
Make the icing by beating the cream cheese and butter together. Slowly add in the powder sugar one cup at a time. Add in the vanilla and bourbon and mix until combined.
Frost the cake!
Tips and tricks for this recipe:
- Use room temperature, eggs, butter, and milk. This is key to having a good, even cake. Ingredients that are too cold can cause the cake to split in the oven. It's also a good idea to tap your pie pans against the counter to release any air pockets and that have been created. Lastly, lining your pans with parchment will make the cakes so much easier to remove.
- Use full-fat cream cheese because low fat will make the frosting too watery.
- If the frosting becomes too watery, chill it for 20 minutes, and it will be perfect!
- This recipe makes enough icing to make a naked-looking cake and gives a nice thin layer of frosting around the cake. If you want a fully frosted cake, double the recipe.
FAQ's:
Yes and no, they taste like the cider that gives them their name. That cider contains apple and all the fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and clove.
The cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Looking for more fall recipes! Check these out!
Festive Bourbon Apple Cider Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 9inch 3 layer cake 1x
- Category: Layer Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
This apple cider cake with bourbon icing is a boozy dream of a cake. The cake has all the best parts of an apple cider donut; reduced apple cider, Honeycrisp apples, and so many warm spices.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups apple cider
- 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 ounces of unsalted butter (two sticks)
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground clove
- 1/4 ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tsp allspice
- 2 Honey Crisp apples, peeled and cored, and then pureed
For the icing:
- 1 8 ounce package of cream cheese
- 1 stick of butter
- 5 cups of powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tsp bourbon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
For the cake:
- Heat the apple cider in a small saucepan on medium heat until it reduces by half, making 1 cup
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease 3 9 inch cake pans and prepares ingredients.
- Whisk flours, salt, spices, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time beating completely before adding the next egg.
- Mix milk and vanilla together and while the mixer is on low add 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by 1/3 of the milk, keep alternating wet and dry ingredients until all are incorporated.
- Pour in the pureed apples and reduced apple cider and mix to combine.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes.
For the icing:
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together.
- Slowly add in the powder sugar one cup at a time.
- Add in the vanilla and bourbon and mix until combined.
- After frosting the cake add 4-5 tablespoons of honey, caramel, or dulce de leche as a glaze.
Notes
- Use room temperature, eggs, butter, and milk. This is key to having a good, even cake. Ingredients that are too cold can cause the cake to split in the oven. It's also a good idea to tap your pie pans against the counter to release any air pockets and that have been created. Lastly, lining your pans with parchment will make the cakes so much easier to remove.
- Use full-fat cream cheese because low fat will make the frosting too watery.
- If the frosting becomes too watery, chill it for 20 minutes, and it will be perfect!
- This recipe makes enough icing to make a naked-looking cake and gives a nice thin layer of frosting around the cake. If you want a fully frosted cake, double the recipe.
Keywords: Apple Cider Donut Cake
This looks and sounds delish, I’ll be trying for sure. My issue with all cakes is that they NEVER rise. Any suggestions? I always serve very flat and dense cakes and I’d love to resolve this!
Thanks so much!! Try getting some new baking soda / powder. If it's been sitting on the shelf for a while the chemicals lose their effectiveness. If that doesn't work, try adding a tiny bit more to help it along.
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★★★★★
Would these come out as cupcakes?
🙂 I actually have an adjusted cupcake version of this here: https://thegandmkitchen.com/apple-cider-cupcakes-with-bourbon-icing/