Apple Cider Donut Protein Cake that's soft and flavor-packed just like your fresh-baked favorite fall doughnut. Healthy apple cider donut cake uses protein powder for sweetness, and sugar free homemade apple cider too. Low fat and low carb too!

I still had some of that sugar-free apple cider after making those apple cider protein donuts recently, and my husband wanted more desserts.

My plan was to go for high protein apple cider donut blondies, but these bars turned out to be light and fluffy - just the perfect cake texture.

How to make Apple Cider Donut Cake Sugar Free?

Instead of using store-bought apple cider for this protein doughnut cake, I recommend making your own homemade apple cider with monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar for a sugar-free dessert.

I used this this recipe from Delish, but used Zero-calorie Monkfruit Brown Sweetener from Lakanto (code HAYLSKITCHEN gives you a discount) instead of regular brown sugar.

The texture (cider and donut cake) comes out perfect - just like store-bought apple cider, but much healthier with none of that added sugar involved.

Ingredients for Apple Cider Donut Protein Cake

These apple cider protein donuts are made with simple ingredients you already have in your pantry.

A skinny apple cider protein doughnut cake recipe with no sugar, no oil and no butter; Yes, low fat too.

Here's what you need:

Apple Cider - See the note above on a low-sugar version.
Vanilla Protein Powder - This adds in sweetness, so this protein cake recipe has no added sugar; I used Quest Nutrition Vanilla Protein Powder.
Unflavored Protein Powder to replace some of the flour (and carbs) in the recipe for a slightly lower carb high protein apple cider donut. I used a whey-casein blend from Quest Nutrition.
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
Almond milk, or any other reduced fat milk, at room temperature
Almond Butter
Egg also at room temperature
Melted Butter
Spices: Ground Cinnamon, Cardamom and Nutmeg
Baking Powder and Baking Soda

And for the sugar free apple cider donut topping:

This apple cider donut bars recipe has a sugar-free topping!

Zero Calorie Sugar substitute - I use the sugar-free one from Lakanto, but you can also use regular sugar. Use the code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount here.
Melted Butter for brushing. You want this completely melted

Some Tips For Apple Cider Doughnut Cake with Protein Powder:

This recipe for apple cider doughnut cake made with protein powder is really easy, but here's some tips to get it perfect!

Let reduced apple cider cool completely before using in recipe. The hot version will spoil the recipe; It will cook the raw egg, and ingredients won't mix well either.

Use room temperature eggs and milk;
This is so the wet ingredients and dry ingredients can mix well.

Don't over-mix the batter!
Make sure you gently fold the dry mix into the wet to combine them.
If you over-mix it, the protein powder - will make it tough, dense and gummy.

Make sure your mixture has enough moisture in it. The vanilla protein powder exteremely absorbent and if the wet ingredients are too little, the cake bars will be dry and tough.
The mix should be like a slightly thick brownie batter.

Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener. I'd recommend using stevia powder to maintain the consistency of the batter and have sugar free protein donuts.

Be sure to grease the donut pan if it your pan is not silicon.

Let donuts cool slightly before adding topping.

How to store Sugar Free Apple Cider Protein Doughnut Cake?

This sugar free apple cider protein doughnut cake keeps really well at room temperature, in the fridge or freezer.

Keep apple cider protein donut cake bars on the countertop in an airtight container for 2 days.

Healthy apple cider doughnut cake will last about 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

To freeze homemade apple cider protein donut cake, let slices freeze individually on a baking sheet and then transfer them to freezer safe zipper bags. They should keep up to 2 months.
Thaw to room temperature before eating.

Alternate Ingredients for Healthy Apple Cider Donut Cake

I made this a low calorie, low fat and sugar free healthy apple cider donut cake with the ingredients and brands listed above, but here's some options to try:

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: All purpose flour or 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour in the same amount by weight not cups
Unflavored Protein Powder: ⅓ cup more Flour, but also skip the Greek Yogurt
Almond Milk: Regular milk
Greek Yogurt: Coconut Yogurt
Almond Butter: Tahini, Cashew Butter or Peanut Butter
1:1 Zero Calorie Sugar Replacement: Regular confectioners sugar (this won't be sugar free though, and also higher in calories)

More Healthy Protein Sheet Cake recipes?

More Apple Protein Powder Dessert Recipes: