Soft Cake-Style Muffin Donuts (Printable Version)

Soft, cake-style muffins baked in tins and finished with a sweet glaze for nostalgic flavor.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2/3 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 - 2/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Glaze

11 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray or butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground nutmeg.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the whole milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and thoroughly combined.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each approximately halfway.
06 - Bake for 14 to 16 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth, adjusting milk quantity for desired consistency.
09 - Dip the tops of each cooled donut into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Set back on the rack to let glaze set.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • No deep-frying means you get all the donut magic without oil splatters or lingering smells in your clothes.
  • These bake up incredibly soft and tender—somehow better than store-bought, with that perfect crumbly-moist texture.
  • You can have warm glazed donuts ready in 35 minutes, which feels like cheating when people think you've been cooking all morning.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix smoothly together and create a more tender donut—cold eggs or milk create lumps and dense spots.
  • Gentle mixing is everything; if you stir the batter more than necessary, the donuts come out tough and chewy instead of that perfect soft crumb.
  • Cool your donuts completely before glazing or the glaze will melt and slide off the sides, making a mess that tastes good but looks sad.
03 -
  • For cinnamon-sugar donuts, brush warm donuts with melted butter and dip in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar instead of glazing—the butter helps the sugar stick beautifully.
  • Add sprinkles or crushed nuts to your glaze while it's still wet, or they'll slide right off; this trick creates a bakery-worthy presentation that tastes even better than it looks.
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