With fresh apple cider and plenty of warm spices, this apple cider pound cake comes out perfectly moist with a tender crumb! Top with a gorgeous brown butter glaze to tie it all together.
Why this recipe works
The aroma from this apple cider pound cake baking will be enough to convince you of just how special these little loaves are. The apple cider flavor is clear in this pound cake, which is elevated with warm autumnal flavors from the allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. The cake itself is dense and moist with a tender crumb. I have to be good and stash one in the freezer because it goes quickly in my house.
I personally don’t feel this apple cider pound cake is complete without the brown butter glaze, which is originally from my banana bundt cake recipe. But, I can attest to the fact that it’s one of those cakes that doesn’t need a topper in order to be good. I’ve enjoyed it with and without, and have also tried it topped with a caramel glaze in the past. It’s inviting whichever way you dress it up.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
Baking is a science. Be sure to bring all ingredients in the recipe card below to room temperature if called for. It’s best to weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale for the best outcome when making baked goods. This ensures you have the proper measurements and don’t end up with a cake that is overly dense, dry, or crumbly.
CIDER – Using fresh apple cider is best for this recipe as it provides the best flavor, though we have also tested it with a more filtered, juice-like version of apple cider, and it came out great as well. I love using fresh apple cider from our local apple orchard in the fall! You can typically find apple cider in grocery stores, sometimes year-round, but most commonly in late summer through fall.
How to Make Apple Cider Pound Cake
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously butter then flour two 9×5 loaf pans.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, cloves, and cinnamon. In a measuring cup or separate bowl, stir together the cider and vanilla.
- In a stand mixer on medium-high speed using the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and shortening until creamy. While still mixing, gradually add the sugar. Once all the sugar has been added, beat for a full 5 minutes. Mixture will be light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl.
- Reduce mixer speed to medium. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Next add the cider mixture just until combined. Finish with remaining flour mixture just until combined. Scrape down the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed. Batter will be thick.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and spread out evenly across the top. Tap the pans on the counter a couple times to ensure there are no air pockets.
- Place pans on an insulated baking sheet instead of directly on the racks. This creates a heat barrier and helps the cakes bake more evenly. If you don’t have an insulated pan, use two regular baking sheet stacked on top of each other.
- Bake for 50-60, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for ten minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
To Make the Brown Butter Glaze
- Line work surface with a sheet of waxed paper to catch drips, and place a wire rack over the top. Place loaves on rack.
- Add powdered sugar to a medium bowl.
- Place butter in a small saucepan. Melt butter over medium heat until bubbly. Cook, stirring constantly until golden brown. Remove from heat and pour butter into the bowl of powdered sugar.
- Add vanilla and milk, stir until smooth.
- Immediately drizzle glaze over the loaves. Allow to cool and set before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store the fully cooled (glazed or unglazed) pound cake covered with foil or kept in an air-tight container. Keep at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Yes, absolutely. I’d recommend waiting to add the glaze, though if you plan on freezing. To freeze, allow the loaf to fully cool, then wrap it well with plastic wrap followed by a layer or two of aluminum foil. Or, you can wrap the loaf with plastic wrap and place it inside a large gallon-sized ziptop bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. You can follow the same method for freezing individual slices.
I will start off by saying that I have not personally tested this recipe using all butter, but in theory, yes. Though from experience in other recipes, using all butter will change the texture and rise. Using butter-flavored shortening gives you the butter flavor, but also helps keep the cakes soft and tender with a good rise. Shortening has no water content, so by changing it to butter it does add about 2.5 tablespoons of water to the recipe. Here’s what I would suggest if swapping: reduce the apple cider by about 2 tablespoons (from 1 cup to 14 tablespoons). That offsets the extra water from butter without affecting the flavor much. If you decide to test it out, please let us know how it comes out in the comments!
Serving Suggestions
I’ve been making this apple cider pound cake since 2009, so it clearly claims a special place in my recipe binder. You can serve your pound cake with or without the brown butter glaze, or top it with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. I think it would be amazing with a slather of cinnamon honey butter on top as well!
Enjoy with a cup of coffee in the morning or as a sweet treat later in the day. I hope you love it as much as I do!
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Apple Cider Pound Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 16 tablespoons, 8 oz, 227g
- ½ cup butter flavored shortening
- 21 ounces granulated sugar 600g, 3 cups
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 12.7 ounces all purpose flour 360g, 3 cups
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 ounces apple cider 1 cup, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Brown Butter Glaze
- 17 ounces powdered sugar 475g, 3 cups
- ½ cup unsalted butter 8 tablespoons, 4 oz, 113g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4-6 tablespoons milk as needed to thin glaze
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- Use dark loaf pans for best results. Stay away from glass pans for this recipe.
- You can substitute the butter flavored shortening with regular shortening if needed.
Instructions
For the Pound Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously butter then flour two 9×5 loaf pans.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, cloves, and cinnamon. In a measuring cup or separate bowl, stir together the cider and vanilla.12.7 ounces all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 8 ounces apple cider, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In a stand mixer on medium-high speed using the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and shortening until creamy. While still mixing, gradually add the sugar. Once all the sugar has been added, beat for a full 5 minutes. Mixture will be light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl.1 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening, 21 ounces granulated sugar
- Reduce mixer speed to medium. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.6 large eggs
- Reduce mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Next add the cider mixture just until combined. Finish with remaining flour mixture just until combined. Scrape down the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed. Batter will be thick.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and spread out evenly across the top. Tap the pans on the counter a couple times to ensure there are no air pockets.
- Place pans on an insulated baking sheet instead of directly on the racks. This creates a heat barrier and helps the cakes bake more evenly. If you don't have an insulated pan, use two regular baking sheet stacked on top of each other.
- Bake for 50-60, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for ten minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
For the Brown Butter Glaze
- Line work surface with a sheet of waxed paper to catch drips, and place a wire rack over the top. Place loaves on rack.
- Add powdered sugar to a medium bowl.17 ounces powdered sugar
- Place butter in a small saucepan. Melt butter over medium heat until bubbly. Cook, stirring constantly until golden brown. Remove from heat and pour butter into the bowl of powdered sugar.1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Add vanilla and milk, stir until smooth.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 4-6 tablespoons milk
- Immediately drizzle glaze over the loaves. Allow to cool and set before serving.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Store the fully cooled (glazed or unglazed) pound cake covered with foil or kept in an air-tight container. Keep at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- To Freeze – I’d recommend waiting to add the glaze if you plan on freezing. To freeze, allow the loaf to fully cool, then wrap it well with plastic wrap followed by a layer or two of aluminum foil. Or, you can wrap the loaf with plastic wrap and place it inside a large gallon-sized ziptop bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. You can follow the same method for freezing individual slices.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
Amanda Davis
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Pam Heath says
I cannot find butter flavored shortening. Do you have an alternate?
Amanda Davis says
Regular shortening will be fine!