Print

Cozy Apple Cider Cake with Easy Brown Butter Glaze

apple cider cake - featured image
Print Recipe

A dense and tender apple cake infused with reduced apple cider and topped with a nutty brown butter glaze. Perfect for cozy evenings and fall baking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups apple cider (unfiltered, reduced to ½ cup)
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 medium apple (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled and finely chopped
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (for glaze)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3–4 tablespoons milk (whole milk preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze)
  • Pinch of salt (for glaze)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 1½ cups apple cider into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer until reduced to about ½ cup, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  3. Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until evenly distributed.
  4. Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down sides as needed.
  5. Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
  6. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk: With mixer on low, add about one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk. Repeat with another third of flour, remaining buttermilk, and finish with the last of the flour. Mix just until combined.
  7. Fold in reduced cider and apple: Gently fold in the cooled reduced apple cider and chopped apple with a rubber spatula.
  8. Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
  9. Make brown butter glaze: While cake cools, melt ½ cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until butter turns golden amber and smells nutty, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and pour into a heatproof bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  10. Finish glaze: Whisk sifted powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt into the browned butter until smooth. Adjust consistency with additional milk or powdered sugar as needed.
  11. Glaze cake: Pour glaze over cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let set for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Don’t rush the cider reduction; keep at a gentle simmer. Room temperature ingredients are important for proper creaming. Watch brown butter carefully as it can burn quickly. Let cake cool completely before glazing to prevent glaze from sliding off. Use a serrated knife for clean slices.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider cake, brown butter glaze, fall dessert, apple cake, cozy cake

Find it online: https://dahliadishes.com/cozy-apple-cider-cake-with-easy-brown-butter-glaze/