Description
This Apple Cider Snacking Cake with Maple–Cream Cheese Frosting brings cozy autumn flavors to your table with every slice. The cake is moist, spiced, and deeply infused with reduced apple cider, then finished with a luscious maple cream cheese frosting that’s smooth, sweet, and a little tangy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups apple cider, reduced to ¾ cup
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper if desired.
- In a small saucepan, simmer the apple cider until reduced to ¾ cup. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, and reduced cider until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients just until mixed. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.
- Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and maple syrup until fluffy. Add heavy cream until frosting reaches desired consistency.
- Spread frosting over cooled cake, slice, and serve.
Notes
- Reduce apple cider slowly to avoid burning and get that concentrated flavor.
- Use parchment for easy removal and cleaner slices.
- Let cake cool fully before frosting for the best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 290mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 80mg