Glazed Chocolate Cake Doughnuts will satisfy your sweet tooth and chocolate craving. A quick chocolate buttermilk cake base is poured into doughnut pans, baked and then dipped into a buttermilk glaze. This recipe yields 12 chocolate cake doughnuts.
Glazed chocolate cake doughnuts have been my weakness since 1984.
Or thereabouts, because I was little.
In those early years, every so often on a random Saturday morning, my dad would drive out to the nearest Dunkin Donuts and pick up a coffee for himself and a dozen doughnuts for us. I never could predict when that white, orange and pink box would magically appear on the kitchen table, but you can believe I ran down the stairs every Saturday hoping to see it. Forever craving a sticky sweet chocolate cake doughnut.
To this day, whenever I take a bite of one it takes me back to my childhood.
The. Best.
To Make These Glazed Chocolate Cake Doughnuts You Will Need:
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- espresso powder
- baking soda
- light brown sugar
- mini chocolate chips (optional)
- kosher salt
- buttermilk
- applesauce (unsweetened)
- unsalted butter (melted)
- vanilla
- egg
- powdered sugar
Preheat your oven to 375375℉ (or 190℃).
In a large bowl, sift in 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon espresso powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
Once sifted, add in 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. The mini chips are optional, my girls love them and they do add a depth to the chocolate flavor.
Mix to combine.
In a separate bowl, measure and add 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk, 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, 2 tablespoons melted (slightly cooled) unsalted butter, 1 large egg and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Whisk to combine.
Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
Stir until just combined.
Spray 2 doughnut pans with nonstick spray. I HIGHLY recommend using a nonstick spray that has flour to ensure easy release after baking.
Spoon the doughnut batter into your prepared pans.
Fill 3/4 of the way full and use the back of the spoon to spread the tops even.
Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 8 t0 12 minutes or until the doughnuts bounce back when gently pressed and/or a cake tester comes out with only a few crumbs (no batter) attached
Once baked, allow the doughnuts to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before running a thin rubber spatula around the edge to make sure they are sticking.
Carefully, invert the pan onto a wire rack so the doughnuts can cool completely.
YUM!
Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a mixing bowl, sift 2 cups powdered sugar. Add a splash of vanilla and whisk while slowly adding buttermilk, until desired consistency.
Dip.
And invert onto a wire rack set into a rimmed metal baking sheet to allow the excess glaze drip off and cool and harden.
Or don’t.
I never can.
Rich and chocolaty and incredibly delicious. Serve with hot coffee or milk.
Enjoy! And if you give this Glazed Chocolate Doughnuts recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Glazed Chocolate Cake Doughnuts
Ingredients
FOR THE CHOCOLATE DOUGHNUTS:
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
FOR THE GLAZE:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 to 6 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 splash pure vanilla extract
Instructions
MAKE THE DOUGHNUTS:
- Preheat your oven to 375℉ (or 190℃) and spray 2 doughnut pans with nonstick spray. Nonstick spray with flour works best here.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, espresso and baking soda. Then add in the brown sugar, mini chocolate chips and kosher salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Next in a separte bowl, combine buttermilk, applesauce, (melted and cooled) butter, egg and vanilla. Whisk to combine and pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Use a rubber spatula to combine until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Spoon batter into the wells of 2 doughnut pans. Fill 3/4 of the way and use a spoon to spread the tops evenly.
- Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven fro 8 to 12 minutes or until the doughnuts bounce back when gently pressed and/or a cake tester comes out with only a few crumbs (no batter) attached.
- Allow the doughnuts to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before running a thin spatula around the top edges to ensure they do not stick. Turn the cake doughnuts out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Once they have cooled completely, prepare the glaze.
MAKE THE GLAZE:
- In a mixing bowl, sift the powdered sugar and add a splash of vanilla. Gradually add milk while whisking until it reaches a desired consistency.
- Dip doughnutes into glaze and transfer back to the wire rack.
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THANK YOU in advance for your support!
Can an alternate type of pan be used? (Muffin, mini muffin, or Bundt/tube pan for a giant one?). A doughnut pan won’t be used enough, but these sound sooo good! And How might you convert baking times?
Hi Denise! You can most definitely try! However, without testing it first, I cannot say with certainty. But if I was to test this recipe, I would bake in a muffin pan (with liners) @ 350º for 15 to 18 minutes or until a tester comes out with only a few crumbs attached. I’d love to know how this turns out for you! Enjoy!
wow, great baked donut recipe and really appreciate this set of ingredients! Fairly healthy for donuts, and espresso powder, very nice, thank you!
Glad you like them, Sabrina!
I agree with Denise. Alternate pan? Perhaps muffin pan?
Hi Heather! This is what I replied to Denise: You can most definitely try! However, without testing it first, I cannot say with certainty. But if I was to test this recipe, I would bake in a muffin pan (with liners) @ 350º for 15 to 18 minutes or until a tester comes out with only a few crumbs attached. I’d love to know how this turns out for you! Enjoy!
The intro indicates 1 large egg but the recipe makes no mention of the egg in the ingredient list or the instructions. Fortunately, I caught that before I made them. Let me say: I will definitely be making them again! They are awesome! I hope they will freeze; otherwise, I’ll have to eat them all! Thank you for a great recipe. ***** Five stars for sure!
I’m in! I see why you’ve had a weakness for them for so long, thank you for sharing these!
They’re SO good! Hope you try them!❤️
Another great recipe, Laurie! My son and I made these and my daughter did the icing. My said “these are delicious!”
Thanks!
I’m so glad, Chelai!
Printed the recipe out when I first saw this! Finally made it today after getting donut pans, powdered buttermilk and mini chips in my pantry. Used the spray flour, worked great. The donuts fell right out!
I’m so glad, Sue!!