The BEST Fall Treat: Apple Cider Mini Bundt Cakes with Apple Pie Filling

If there’s one quintessential autumn experience, it’s heading out for a day of apple picking, feeling that crisp breeze, and finishing it off with a warm apple cider donut. But what if you could take all those rich, spiced apple cider donut flavors and transform them into cute, individual mini bundt cakes stuffed with homemade apple pie filling and drizzled with caramel?

These Apple Cider Mini Bundt Cakes taste just like an apple cider donut, but better. They feature an ultra-moist spiced cake studded with nutmeg and cinnamon, brushed with an apple cider glaze, tossed in cinnamon sugar, and crowned with a warm stovetop apple pie filling right in the center. Drizzle a little salted caramel over the top, and you have the ultimate cozy dessert to kick off fall!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Donut Meets Cake: By brushing the baked cakes with melted butter and real apple cider before tossing them in cinnamon sugar, you get that iconic, craggy, sugary coating of a hot apple cider donut.
• Double Apple Power: Real apple cider and unsweetened applesauce go straight into the batter to keep these cakes incredibly moist while double-packing that fresh orchard flavor.
• The Built-In Filling Well: Mini bundt molds naturally leave a perfect little center well just waiting to be spooned full of tender, spiced apple pie filling.

Pro-Tips for Perfect Mini Bundts

1. Grease Thoroughly: Mini bundt pans have lots of intricate grooves! Spray the molds generously with a nonstick baking spray (preferably one with flour) so the cakes release smoothly.
2. Chill the Filling: Making the stovetop apple pie filling first allows it time to thicken and cool slightly while the cakes bake, making assembly neat and effortless.
3. Coat While Warm: Brush the cider-butter mixture and coat the cakes in cinnamon sugar while they are still slightly warm so the sugar adheres in a thick, delicious layer.

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Apple Cider Mini Bundt Cakes

Created by Sue Mun

Makes 12 mini bundt cakes

Ingredients:

For the Apple Cider Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups (200g) all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (75g) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (120g) apple cider
• 1/4 cup (62g) unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup (112g) vegetable oil 
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsps vanilla extract

For the Apple Cider Coating:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp apple cider
• 3 tbsp (35g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Apple Pie Filling/Topping:

• 325g apples (about 2 apples), peel cored and small diced
• 2 tbsp butter 
• Juice of 1 lemon 
• 55g brown sugar, packed 
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Cornstarch slurry: 1 tsp cornstarch plus 1 tsp water

To Serve:

• Salted Caramel Sauce

Instructions:

Make the Apple Pie Filling:

1. In a medium pot, add in the chopped apples, butter, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt. Cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes or until the apples begin to soften and releasee its juices. Pour in the cornstarch slurry and stir and cook for another 1 minute until the mixture thickens
2. Pour the apple pie filling in a bowl and set aside in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

Make the Apple Cider Mini Bundt Cakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease 12 mini bundt cake molds with nonstick spray. As an alternative option, you can bake these in a regular cupcake pan. Just make sure to grease each cavity and dust each with some flour to ensure that the cakes do not stick.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the apple cider, apple sauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and the vegetable oil.
4. Pour all of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk together until a smooth batter forms.
5. Pour the batter into each mini bundt cake mold using a cookie scooper, Bake for the mini bundt cakes for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes then unmold the bundt cakes onto a cooling rack.

Make the Apple Cider Coating:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter and apple cider together. In another bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon to make cinnamon sugar.
2. Brush the apple cider coating mixture over all of the mini bundt cakes using a pastry brush. Then pick up each mini bundt cakes and toss them into the cinnamon sugar to coat them like an apple cider donut.
3. Garnish each mini bundt cakes with apple pie filling in the center.
4. Serve with salted caramel sauce and enjoy!