Print

Easy Homemade Cake Donuts: Fluffy, Moist Recipes for Breakfast or Dessert

Close-up of a glazed cake donut cut in half, revealing its fluffy interior texture.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Learn how to make tender, moist cake donuts at home, covering classic fried methods, easy baked versions, and quick shortcuts using cake mix. Enjoy perfect vanilla glaze or cinnamon sugar coatings for your next breakfast or sweet treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (for old-fashioned flavor)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Vegetable oil, for frying (if frying) OR Cooking spray (if baking)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until combined.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined; do not overmix to keep the donuts tender. The batter will be thick.
  4. Prepare for cooking: For fried donuts, heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). For baked donuts, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a donut pan well.
  5. To shape: Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, or carefully drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil (for frying) or pipe/spoon into the donut pan wells (for baking).
  6. If frying, cook donuts for about 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack lined with paper towels.
  7. If baking, bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool slightly in the pan before transferring to a rack.
  8. Glaze or coat the warm donuts immediately using your preferred topping, such as a simple vanilla glaze or cinnamon sugar mixture.

Notes

  • For moist cake donuts, avoid overmixing the batter; a few small lumps are fine.
  • To make cinnamon sugar donuts, mix 1/2 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Toss warm donuts in the mixture.
  • For a quick cake mix donuts shortcut, substitute 1 box of yellow cake mix (prepared according to package directions but omitting any added oil/water if using a standard recipe, or use the dry mix with wet ingredients specified in a cake mix donut recipe) for the dry ingredients listed above.
  • If you want old fashioned cake donuts with craggy edges, use a piping bag to drop the batter directly into the hot oil.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://miameal.com/easy-cake-donuts-recipe-3-ways/