Soft Tender Cake Donuts (Printable Version)

Tender cakey donuts fried golden, topped with a sweet glaze or cinnamon sugar coating.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 3/4 cup buttermilk
09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Frying

11 - Vegetable oil, about 6 cups

→ For Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
14 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Cinnamon Sugar

15 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# How to Prepare:

01 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then whisk in buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
03 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
04 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll to approximately 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into donut shapes using a 3-inch cutter or two round cutters.
05 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C).
06 - Fry donuts in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
07 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together until smooth.
08 - Dip warm donuts into the glaze and set on a wire rack to set.
09 - Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon; toss warm donuts in the mixture until evenly coated.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're genuinely soft inside with that perfect cake crumb texture, nothing dense or rubbery.
  • The whole process takes less than an hour from mixing bowl to first bite, making them totally doable on a regular morning.
  • You can dress them up with glaze, cinnamon sugar, or even chocolate without any extra fussing around.
02 -
  • Oil temperature is everything—use a thermometer and don't trust your instincts, because donuts frying in oil that's too cool will absorb grease instead of browning.
  • Dough that seems slightly too soft is actually perfect; donuts made from dough that's too stiff will taste dense and cake-like in the wrong way.
  • Glaze your donuts while they're still warm so the coating sets beautifully, but wait just long enough that you won't burn your fingers.
03 -
  • Let your melted butter cool for at least a minute after melting so it doesn't cook your eggs when you whisk them together.
  • A pastry bag with a wide opening makes it easier to coat donuts in glaze without the mess, but honestly dipping them by hand works just fine if you're patient.
Go Back