Cider-glazed bundt cake worth including in next brunch spread

Delivering bright apple flavor and a temptingly moist crumb, this simple yet stunning Bundt cake demands a prominent place in your brunch spread.

We maximized this cake’s apple taste by shredding 1-1/2 pounds of tart Granny Smiths and bolstering their flavor with an intense reduction of apple cider mixed into the batter, brushed onto the warm exterior of the baked cake, and stirred into an icing. Using a moderate amount of spices allowed the apple flavor to shine.

Baking this fruity cake in a Bundt pan made all the difference, as the hole through the middle meant the dense batter baked through evenly and completely.

For the sake of efficiency, begin boiling the cider before assembling the rest of the ingredients. Reducing the cider to exactly 1 cup is important; if you accidentally overreduce it, make up the difference with water. To ensure that the icing has the proper consistency, we recommend weighing the powdered sugar.

We like the tartness of Granny Smith apples, but any variety will work. Shred the apples in a food processor or on the large holes of a paddle or box grater.

Cooled cake can be wrapped loosely in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CIDER-GLAZED APPLE BUNDT CAKE

By America’s Test Kitchen

• 4 cups apple cider
• 3-3/4 cups (18-3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) powdered sugar
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1-1/2 cups packed (10-1/2 ounces) dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and shredded (3 cups)

Bring cider to boil in 12-inch skillet over high heat; cook until reduced to 1 cup, 20 to 25 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan.

Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice in large bowl until combined.

Combine powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of the cider reduction in small bowl; whisk to form smooth icing. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Set aside 6 tablespoons cider reduction. Pour remaining 1/2 cup into large bowl; add melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla; whisk until smooth.

Pour cider mixture over flour mixture and stir until almost fully combined (some streaks of flour will remain).

Stir in apples and any accumulated juice until evenly distributed. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until skewer inserted in cake comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes, rotating cake halfway through baking.

Transfer pan to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Brush exposed surface of cake lightly with 1 tablespoon reserved cider reduction. Let cake cool 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack and remove pan. Brush top and sides of cake with remaining 5 tablespoons reserved cider reduction. Let cake cool 20 minutes.

Stir icing to loosen, then drizzle evenly over cake.

Let cake cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving. Serves 12.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 491 calories, 17 g total fat, 10 g saturated fats, 94 mg cholesterol, 440 mg sodium, 80 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 46 g sugar, 6 g protein.