you're making mealtime meaningful.
One of my favorite things to make in the world of baking are quick breads, and my very favorite ones are the ones that walk the line between cake and bread so finely that the best thing to call them is a “loaf.” This particular one — this Apple Cider Donut Loaf — brings one of my favorite fall flavors and a delightful cinnamon-sugar coating together for a treat that’s delicious anytime of day, be it breakfast or an after school snack.
You don’t need any actual apples for this loaf, you just need the cider but you’re going to start by boiling down that cider for a bit on the stovetop to amp up the flavor. Once that reduces and then cools, you mix it with some yogurt and vanilla before beating in eggs, brown sugar, and butter.
Dry ingredients go in next — flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg — and then you bake. Why cornstarch? It helps give you a light and chewy crumb.
When the loaf comes out of the oven, you’ll brush it with melted butter and then sprinkle it with a cinnamon-sugar mixture, patting it in to help it adhere.
(Repeating the cinnamon-sugar process a few times can help you get a really good coating.)
If you’ve ever had an apple cider donut — and I hope you have! — you’ll be surprised at how well this replicates the experience. It’s that same lovely apple cider flavor, this time with a more delicate crumb, and all encased in a crunch of cinnamon-sugar.
If you haven’t had one, then well, you’ll just have to trust me — this loaf is delicious!
Apple Cider Donut Loaf
Yield(s): Yield 1 loaf
15m prep time
1h cook time
Diet: Vegetarian
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
For the topping:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 325°F and grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper to make lifting bread out easier, if desired.
- Pour cider into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil until liquid reduces by half, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl to cool for a few minutes, then stir in yogurt and vanilla.
- Add eggs and brown sugar to a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy.
- Slowly add in butter while mixing on low.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well mixed.
- Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture, alternating with the cider mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Don't overmix.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan, then bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
- Let pan cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan. Stir together cinnamon and sugar for the coating. Brush loaf with melted butter, then press cinnamon sugar into each side of the loaf, repeating a few times to coat it thoroughly.
- Wait to slice until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Buns In My Oven.