Chocolate donut cake is a rich, moist and tender chocolate cake shaped like an oversized old fashioned chocolate cake donut. Top with this old fashioned chocolate cake donut with a sweet and creamy vanilla glaze. It’s the perfect easy to make and decadent dessert everyone will love.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore a good cake donut. They’re simple, easy to make and endlessly adaptable. My Powdered Sugar Donuts, Chocolate Donuts, Cinnamon Sugar Donuts, Maple Donuts and Pumpkin Donuts are some of my favorite donut recipes on the blog. I am so excited to share this giant, oversized chocolate donut cake recipe.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients. This old fashioned chocolate donut cake is made with simple ingredients that come together quickly and easily making it the perfect cake for any occasion. Top this cake with vanilla glaze to really make this cake look like a giant donut.
- It has the perfect rich, buttery and tender texture. This chocolate cake donut has the perfect buttery, moist and tender crumb just like a delicious baked cake donut, just bigger.
- It’s a giant chocolate donut. Honestly, what more is there to say? It’s so much fun to enjoy a slice of chocolate cake that looks just like a giant old fashioned fry donut.
Ingredients
This glazed chocolate cake donut requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make. Here’s what you’ll need.
Chocolate Donut Cake
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom or nutmeg and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, buttermilk sour cream and hot water or coffee.
Vanilla Glaze
Gather powdered sugar, milk, water or coffee and vanilla extract.
Substitutions
This old fashioned chocolate cake donut is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are my recommended ingredient substitutions if you need them.
- All purpose flour: To make this pound cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based off weight (330 g) versus cup for cup.
- Cocoa Powder: Any type of good quality cocoa powder will work well in this chocolate donut recipe. However, I love using dutch process cocoa powder for its mellow, but intensely chocolate-y flavor.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Both act as leaveners in this cake donut recipe.
- Nutmeg or Cardamom: This pinch of ground nutmeg or cardamom really round out the cake donut flavor.
- Granulated Sugar and Light Brown Sugar: This moist chocolate donut bundt cake calls for granulated and light brown sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter in place of the unsalted butter. Just make sure to omit the added salt.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Buttermilk: This is an essential ingredient for this old fashioned donut chocolate cake. If you don’t have buttermilk, it’s easy to make your own. Simply pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup. Then pour enough milk to reach ¾ cup (180 ml). Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to curdle and use as you would regular buttermilk.
- Sour Cream: Feel free to swap ¼ cup sour cream with full fat greek yogurt or another ¼ cup (60 ml) of buttermilk for a total of 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk.
Variations
- Chocolate Ganache: Heat 8 oz. heavy cream to hot, but not scalding. Pour over 10 oz. of chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Cover the bowl of chopped chocolate with hot heavy cream with a tea towel. Allow the chocolate to melt for about 3 - 4 minutes. Stir the heavy cream into the melted chocolate until smooth and glossy. Pour on top of the cooled chocolate donut cake.
- Coffee Glaze: Swap 2 tablespoons water with 2 tablespoons freshly brewed espresso or coffee to top this donut cake with espresso glaze.
How To Make
Here’s how to make chocolate donut cake in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Grease a 10 -inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan) with nonstick spray. Use a pastry brush to work the nonstick spray into all the grooves of the pan. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, Dutch processed cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt nutmeg or cardamom and instant espresso powder together until well combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and light brown sugar together until light, fluffy and well combined. This takes about 2 - 3 minutes at medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. On low mix in the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time, waiting until the previous ingredient is just combined before adding the next. Mix until well combined. By hand or on the lowest mixing speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet alternating with the buttermilk and sour cream until the batter is just combined. Gently stir in the hot water until well mixed into the chocolate cake batter.
- Evenly scoop the chocolate donut cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake the donut chocolate cake for 45 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pound cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the bundt cake pan onto another cooling rack or plate. Then flip the cake upside down one more time so the top is facing up again. Cool the cake completely before topping or serving.
- Make the vanilla glaze by whisking the powdered sugar with water or coffee, milk and vanilla extract. Pour the glaze on top of the cooled cake donut. Use a pastry brush to apply the glaze to the sides of the cake. Allow 30 - 45 minutes for the glaze to fully set, slice and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: In an airtight container at room temperature for 3 - 4 days.
- Freeze: Individually wrap each slice of cake or the whole cake in plastic wrap. Place each wrapped slice in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: Remove your desired number of pieces of cake to sit out at room temperature until fully thawed and enjoy.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use a non-stick spray to prevent the cake from sticking to the bundt pan. If needed, take a pastry brush or even a clean paper towel and work the spray into all the grooves of the pan.
- Use whole fat ingredients. More fat equals a more tender and moist cake. When possible, use a whole milk buttermilk, full or whole fat sour cream.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in moist and perfectly mixed cake like donut.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter: Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Cool the cake in the pan for no longer than 10 -15 minutes. If you try to remove the cake before 10 minutes, the cake may still be too hot to remove without falling apart. Removing the cake after 15 minutes may cause the cake to stick to the pan more easily.
- Fully cool the cake before applying the glaze. This usually takes about 30 - 45 minutes after the cake has been removed from the pan or about an hour after the cake has been removed from the oven.
- Don’t skip the glaze. Topping this cake with vanilla glaze really transforms this into the look of an old fashioned chocolate fry donut.
FAQs
Why is my donut chocolate cake dry?
This can happen when the oven temperature is too high or the cake was overmixed. The simple fix for this is to use a lower baking temperature for a longer period of time. I also recommend using an internal oven thermometer to double check the oven temperature. Make sure to mix the flour and buttermilk until the ingredients are just combined with the wet ingredients and on the lowest mixing speed.
Can I make this donut cake smaller?
Yes, prepare the donut cake recipe as written. Fill the individual cavities of a mini bundt pan no more than ¾ full. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 17 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Can I make this chocolate donut cake into actual chocolate cake donuts?
Yes, prepare the recipe as written, pipe the chocolate cake batter into a greased 6 ct. donut pan. Bake the donuts at 350 F (177 C) for about 10 minutes. This recipe will make about 28 individual cake donuts.
Can I top this donut chocolate cake with another glaze?
Mix 2 cups powdered sugar with 3 - 4 tablespoons milk and a drop or two of pink or other color food coloring. Top the pink glaze with sprinkles if you like. You can also top this chocolate cake donut with chocolate ganache.
Other Bundt Cake Recipes to Try
If you try this Chocolate Donut Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Chocolate Donut Cake
Chocolate donut cake is a rich, moist and tender chocolate cake shaped like an oversized old fashioned chocolate cake donut. Top with this old fashioned chocolate cake donut with a sweet and creamy vanilla glaze. It’s the perfect easy to make and decadent dessert everyone will love.
Equipment
- 1 10 inch (12 cup) capacity bundt pan
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
Chocolate Donut Cake
- 2¾ cup (330 g) all purpose flour
- ¾ cup (60 g) Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or cardamom
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1¼ cup (250 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream, room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) hot water or coffee
Vanilla Glaze
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water or coffee
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Grease a 10 -inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan) with nonstick spray. Use a pastry brush to work the nonstick spray into all the grooves of the pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, Dutch processed cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt nutmeg or cardamom and instant espresso powder together until well combined.2¾ cup (330 g) all purpose flour, ¾ cup (60 g) Dutch processed cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or cardamom
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and light brown sugar together until light, fluffy and well combined. This takes about 2 - 3 minutes at medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 1¼ cup (250 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- On low mix in the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time, waiting until the previous ingredient is just combined before adding the next. Mix until well combined. By hand or on the lowest mixing speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet alternating with the buttermilk and sour cream until the batter is just combined. Gently stir in the hot water until well mixed into the chocolate cake batter. Evenly scoop the chocolate donut cake batter into the prepared bundt pan.3 large eggs, room temperature, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract , ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature, ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream, room temperature, ½ cup (120 ml) hot water or coffee
- Bake the donut chocolate cake for 45 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pound cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the bundt cake pan onto another cooling rack or plate. Then flip the cake upside down one more time so the top is facing up again. Cool the cake completely before topping or serving.
- Make the vanilla glaze by whisking the powdered sugar with water or coffee, milk and vanilla extract. Pour the glaze on top of the cooled cake donut. Use a pastry brush to apply the glaze to the sides of the cake. Allow 30 - 45 minutes for the glaze to fully set, slice and enjoy.2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water or coffee, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
Store: In an airtight container at room temperature for 3 - 4 days.
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