Serves 12 – 16
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 over-reduce it, make up the difference with water.
Ingredients:
4 c apple cider
3 3/4 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
3/4 c confectioners’ sugar
16 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 c packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 lbs (3 cups) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and shredded
Directions:
Bring cider to boil in 12 inch skillet over high heat; cook until reduced to 1 cup, 20 – 25 minutes. While cider is reducing, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 12 cup nonstick bundt pan. Whisk flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and allspice in large bowl until combined. Place confectioners’ sugar in small bowl.
Add 2 tbsp cider reduction to confectioners’ sugar and whisk to form smooth icing. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Set aside 6 tbsp cider reduction.
Pour remaining 1/2 c cider reduction into large bowl; add melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Pour cider mixture over flour mixture and stir with rubber spatula 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 center of cake comes out clean, 55 min to 1 hour 5 min.
Transfer pan to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Brush exposed surface of cake lightly with 1 tbsp reserved cider reduction. Let cake cool for 10 min. Invert cake onto wire rack and remove pan. Brush top and sides of cake with remaining 5 tbsp reserved cider reduction. Let cake cool for 20 min. Stir icing to loosen, then drizzle evenly over cake. Let cake cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving. (Cooled cake can be wrapped loosely in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days).
