The magical, maniacal, and universally known cake genius, Christina Tosi, released her fall creation, the Apple Cider Doughnut Cake.
I scoured the internet for the right recipe but, in the end, had to come up with my own version based on a few videos and an oddly converted recipe from RachelRay.com and it was INCREDIBLE!
If you’d like to make this on your own, beware, it is challenging but so, so worth it!
Special Ingredients
Apple Cider
Used Fry Oil (I promise it actually makes a difference)
Apple Cider Doughnuts
Buttermilk
Pectin
Cake Flour
Pectin
Apple Syrup:
1.5c Apple Cider
1 Cinnamon Stick
Directions: pour into pan, add stick, reduce 20 minutes until syrup. Set Aside to cool.
Milk Soak:
1 Apple Cider Doughnut
1c Milk
Directions: Add milk and doughnut into container, soak overnight. Before use, drain doughnut solids out.
Apple Cider Jam:
3/4c Cider
1/2c + 2 Tbs Sugar, Keep Separate
1 Tbs Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Salt
1.5 tsp Pectin
Directions: Follow directions on Pectin packet
Apple Cider Doughnut Cake:
1 stick ( 8Tbs) Browned Butter
1 1/3 c White Sugar
1/4c Packed Dark Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
1/2c Buttermilk
Apple Syrup
1/2c Oil
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2c Cake Flour
1.2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
Directions:
1. Brown butter, cool in fridge and use chilled.
2. Add butter into mixer to soften, add sugars and mix 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy
3. Mix in syrup, then slowly add oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Then, add one egg at a time.
4. Slowly add dry ingredients then mix for 3-5 minutes until batter is light and fluffy
5. Add into greased 9x11 sheet pan, back at 350* for 15 minutes, or until just golden
6. Cool completely
Crunchers:
1 1/2c Cake Flour
3/4c Doughnut Cinnamon Sugar
3 Tbs Dark Brown Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ginger
1/3 Used Fry Oil
4 tsp Water
Directions: Mix dry ingredients, add wet. Lay evenly on lined sheet. Bake at 300* for 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool completely.
Frosting:
5 Tbs Browned Butter, cooled
3/4 c Sifted Powdered Sugar
1/3c Cream Cheese
1/2 tsp Salt
1.5 Tbs Sour Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2c Cruncher Sand
Directions: Soften browned butter in mixer, add sour cream and vanilla until homogenous. Tab by Tab add cream cheese. The slowly add powdered sugar. Finally, fold in cruncher sand.
Assembly:
Cut out three total 6” rounds out of the sponge sheet
Line cake cutter/mold with acetate
Add cake round, sprinkle with 1-2 Tbs of Milk soak.
Layer of Frosting
Layer of Crunchers
Layer of Jam
Repeat
Top with Frosting and nice looking cruncher circle.