Apple-Cider Doughnut Cake and Color Obsessions

I currently have a color obsession that is taking over my life.  I tend to gravitate heavily to colors every year.  I love color!  I have never been one to be of the sterile, whites, or neutrals...I must have color around me...

Last year it was "Dark Taupe", specifically Sally Hansen's "Commander In Chic".  The year before that it was "Millennial Pink".  I have the purses, cardigans, and nail polishes to prove this!  It's becoming a serious problem.

This brings me to present day's obsession...this little leaf showed up in my fall tablecloth (which I also have a problem with...buying table linens...a lot of table linens).

Anyway I have been drawn to this color.  The problem is, what color is it?  Is it blue, steel gray, dark periwinkle?  I just had a manicure with it...polish name is "Denim Patch".  Is it a denim color?  It's driving me nuts...what Pantone color is this?

Of course, I innocently even stumbled on placemats in this color at my local thrift store...and then I see this duster cardigan sweater on Pinterest...that I must have but cannot find anywhere! 

Well, while I figure out (A) what color this is, and (B) how to score this duster cardigan...I bake. 

One of my daughters showed up this weekend with one mission:  Fall Baking!  My kitchen looked like Food Network's Holiday Baking Championship by the time she left back for college.  I was exhausted!  

If you ever visit your local farmer's market in the fall and have one of their Apple Cider Doughnuts...this cake is the epitome of fall.  Oh my goodness!  

In addition to our first round of November's Suzie's Pumpkin Bread, we also made 2 of these cakes...one for my husband's office, (which didn't make it through the day) and we divided the other one up between our home and daughter's home for her roommates.

Happy Fall to you all and this season, add a little color to your life!

Apple-Cider Doughnut Cake

Courtesy of Martha Stewart

2 Tbl unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1-3/4 cups natural cane sugar

1 cup apple cider
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.  In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  In another bowl, whisk together 1-1/2 cups sugar, cider, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and eggs.  Add egg mixture to flour mixture; whisk until combined.  Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake rotating pan halfway through, until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.  Transfer pan to a wire rack  set over a rimmed baking sheet; let cool 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix together remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Invert warm cake onto rack.  Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar.  Let cool completely before serving.  Cake can be stored, covered at room temperature up to 2 days.

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