Donut cake is a rich, buttery, moist and tender cake shaped like an oversized old fashioned donut. Top this old fashioned donut cake with a sweet vanilla glaze. It’s the perfect easy to make and flavorful dessert everyone will love.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore a cake donuts. They simple, easy to make and endlessly adaptable. but decadent bundt cake. My Powdered Sugar 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 donut cake recipe.
- It has the perfect rich, buttery and tender texture. This cake donut has the perfect buttery, moist and tender crumb just like a delicious baked cake donut, just bigger.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients. This old fashioned 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’s a giant donut. Honestly, what more is there to say? It’s so much fun to enjoy a slice of cake that looks just like a giant old fashioned donut. Looking for the chocolate version? Check out my Chocolate Donut Cake.
Ingredients
This from glaze cake donut requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make. Here’s what you’ll need.
Donut Cake
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather granulated sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk.
Vanilla Glaze
Gather powdered sugar, milk, water and vanilla extract.
Substitutions
This old fashioned 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 (390 g) versus cup for cup.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Both act as leaveners in this cake donut recipe.
- Nutmeg: This pinch of ground nutmeg really round out the cake donut flavor. Feel free to use ground cinnamon, cardamom or even ginger if you like.
- Granulated Sugar: This moist vanilla donut bundt cake calls for granulated 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 bundt 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 1 cup (237 ml). Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to curdle and use as you would regular buttermilk.
Variations
- Buttermilk Glaze: Although this moist buttermilk pound cake tastes amazing on it’s own, topping it with a buttermilk glaze makes it extra decadent. Mix 2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar with 3 - 4 tablespoons (45 ml - 60 ml) buttermilk until smooth and well combined. Pour over the cooled donut cake.
- Cinnamon Sugar Donut Cake: Prepare the cake recipe as written. Rather than topping the cake with glaze, mix ¾ cup (150 g) sugar with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Brush 2 - 3 tablespoons of melted butter all over the still warm donut cake. Top and press the cinnamon sugar around the entire cake. Check out my Apple Cider Cake for visual instructions on how to do this.
- Lemon Glaze: Swap 2 tablespoons water with 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice to top this donut cake with lemon glaze. Add the zest of 1 - 2 large lemons to the sugar for lemon flavor in the cake as well.
How To Make
Here’s how to make 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, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat in the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 - 3 minutes at medium speed. On low beat 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 until the batter is just combined.
- Evenly scoop the vanilla donut cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake the donut bundt 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, 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 milk buttermilk. More fat equals a more tender and moist cake. When possible, use a whole milk buttermilk. A lower fat buttermilk will work well in this recipe as well.
- 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 donut.
FAQs
What does buttermilk do in a cake?
Buttermilk will give the cake a richer, more flavorful taste while also providing a moist, soft and tender crumb.
Why is my donut 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 top this donut 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.
Other Bundt Cake Recipes to Try
- Carrot Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
- Lemonade Bundt Cake
- Red Velvet Bundt Cake
If you try this 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
Donut Cake Recipe
Donut cake is a rich, buttery, moist and tender cake shaped like an oversized old fashioned donut. Top this old fashioned donut cake with a sweet vanilla glaze. It’s the perfect easy to make and flavorful 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
Cake Donut
- 3¼ cups (390 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ cups (338 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
Vanilla Glaze
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk
- 1 - 2 tablespoons (15 - 30 ml) water
- 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, baking soda and salt together until well combined.3¼ cups (390 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat in the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 - 3 minutes at medium speed. On low beat 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 until the batter is just combined.1¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar , 1½ cups (338 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 4 large eggs, room temperature, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract , 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- Evenly scoop the vanilla donut cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake the donut bundt 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, 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) milk, 1 - 2 tablespoons (15 - 30 ml) water, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
Store: In an airtight container at room temperature for 3 - 4 days.
See the Variations section of the blog post to make this donut cake as a cinnamon sugar donut cake.
Color Donut 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.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
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