These incredibly light, fluffy donuts are coated in a thick chocolate glaze and sprinkles, and are delicious enough to challenge anyone’s willpower.
If you ever want to test your patience with self-control, then try these baked cake donuts with chocolate glaze.
Thankfully, they are baked instead of fried — cutting down on both calories and fat so you can enjoy homemade donuts whenever the desire strikes.
I, Alex love these best served when slightly warm from the oven, with extra chocolate frosting!
Ingredients to Make Cake Donuts and Chocolate Glaze
You gotta love a donut recipe that’s easy to make and is less calories than it’s fried alternative. For this cake donuts recipe, you’ll need:
All-purpose flour
Melted butter
Plain yogurt
Milk of choice
Light brown sugar
Large egg
Salt
Baking soda
Baking powder
Ground nutmeg
Ground cinnamon
Vanilla extract
Semisweet chocolate chips
Unsalted butter
Maple syrup or honey
Water
Chocolate sprinkles — Optional
Using a Donut Pan for Easy Baked Cake Donuts
If you like cake donuts, then you will love this baked version.
A donut pan makes the process incredibly easy.
It’s tempting to do so, but only fill the donuts 2/3-3/4 of the way full.
Otherwise, you will end up with an overflow of batter and the donuts will lose their shape.
If you don’t have donut pans, you can also freeform a donut ring on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat.
How to Make Easy Baked Cake Donuts
These really are as easy as whipping them up, pouring into a cake pan, and tossing them in the oven!
1 — Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.
2 — In a separate bowl, combine the egg, brown sugar, milk and yogurt, then whisk until smooth and sugar is no longer grainy.
3 — Stir in the melted butter and vanilla, then whisk until fully combined. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add in the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
4 — Place the batter into the donut pan, either spooning the batter in directly or transferring the batter into a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with the corner sliced off to pipe into the donut cups. Fill the pan ¾ of the way full.
5 — Bake for 9-10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack before gently removing the donuts from each cavity. Bake any remaining donut batter, repeating the same process.
How to Make the Chocolate Glaze Frosting for the Caked Donuts
Pro tip: Make the chocolate frosting while the donuts are cooling. As soon as the donuts are cool enough to handle, frost.
1 — Place the chocolate chips, butter, maple syrup, and water in a medium bowl. Place in the microwave for 20 seconds, then remove and stir.
2 — Repeat this 20 second process until the chocolate is completely melted, about 3 more times, until frosting is creamy and smooth.
3 — Dip the tops of the donuts into the chocolate glaze and then cover with sprinkles.
4 — If you have any leftover glaze, you can drizzle extra on the donuts or save to enjoy for later. Vanilla ice cream with this chocolate glaze is amazing!
How to Store Donuts
These cake donuts taste the best the same day but will keep in a covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
I also love warming them up just a bit before serving if you’re wanting to enjoy them a few days later!
Do you have a staple homemade donut recipe that you always go to? We’d love to know your secret! Baked is always the way I love to go, though.
Baked Cake Donuts with Chocolate Glaze Recipe
Equipment
- Donut pan
- Whisk
- Large mixing bowl
- Mixing bowl
- Pastry bag or Ziploc bag
Ingredients
For the donut:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate glaze frosting:
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp maple syrup or honey for the shine
- 2 tsp water
- Chocolate sprinkles optional
Nutrition
Instructions
To make the donuts:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly spray a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and baking soda.
- In a separate bowl for the wet ingredients, combine the egg, brown sugar, milk and yogurt. Then, whisk until smooth and sugar is no longer grainy. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Then, whisk until fully combined.
- In the large mixing bowl, make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add in the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Place the batter into the donut pan, either spooning the batter in directly or transferring the batter into a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with the corner sliced off to pipe into the donut cups. Fill the pan 3/4 the way full.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack before gently removing the donuts from each cavity. Bake any remaining donut batter, repeating the same process.
To make the frosting:
- While the donuts are cooling, place the chocolate chips, butter, maple syrup, and water in a medium bowl. Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds. Then, remove and stir.
- Repeat this 20-second process until the chocolate is completely melted, about 3 more times, and the frosting is creamy and smooth.
- Dip the tops of the donuts into the chocolate glaze. Cover with sprinkles.
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Ooh these look so delicious! you can never have too many donuts!
Aleeha xxx
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These look great and I can’t wait to make them for my kids.
Ahhh these look so good! My all-time favorite donuts are chocolate glazed chocolate cake donuts so i’m all over these!
Tried baking donuts once and it was such a flop!! This is such an easy recipe though, definitely will give it another go!
I need to go get a donut pan…
Loving this! I’ll sure try time out sometime. I just posted about matcha. It is really good for donuts as well :) Love your blog. hugs.