Spiced Pecan Apple Cider Donut Cake

This recipe from Half Baked Harvest is heavenly!  It’s perfect for Thanksgiving – or in our case, a snow day!

INGREDIENTS

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup apple butter
1 cup apple cider
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the Streusel:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter cubed
2 honeycrisp apples, chopped
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating: 

1/4 cup cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup sugar + 2 tsp cinnamon)
2 Tbsp salted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 10 cup bundt pan with butter, making sure to get into all the nooks and cranies.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Add the apple butter, beating until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and mix on low speed until just combined, being sure the batter is completely mixed.

• Slowly add in the apple cider, making sure the mixer is on low speed. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Be careful not to over beat the batter.

• To make the streusel. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the butter and use your fingers to mix the butter into the flour until a crumble forms. Stir in the apples and pecans.

• In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, vanilla, and egg.

• To layer the cake. Spoon half the cake batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle 3/4 of the streusel over top the batter, then drizzle the maple syrup mix over the streusel. Spoon the remaining batter over the streusel and carefully spread in an even layer. Sprinkle on the remaining streusel. Transfer to the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of the cake is browning, cover with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.

• Let cool 10 minutes and then invert the cake onto a plate. Brush the cake with melted butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.