These baked vanilla cake doughnuts with chocolate glaze have a tender cake texture and stay ultra‑moist. Topped with a glossy chocolate ganache and rainbow sprinkles, they disappear fast — and there’s no hot oil or frying required!
Friday was National Doughnut Day and I didn’t even know until midmorning. I briefly regretted leaving home without a doughnut for breakfast, but the problem was easily solved: I have a doughnut pan. With it I baked six small vanilla cake doughnuts, each finished with a generous chocolate glaze.
The result is a soft, cakey doughnut with a bakery-style flavour. The batter is quick to assemble: whisk dry ingredients in one bowl, whisk wet ingredients in another, then combine. After a short bake in a six-cavity pan, the doughnuts are dipped in a shiny chocolate ganache and decorated with sprinkles. From start to finish you’ll be in and out of the kitchen in about 30 minutes.
Here are a few notes about ingredients and technique:
- An extra egg yolk helps these doughnuts take on a slightly richer, yellow hue and keeps them moist so the chocolate glaze stands out.
- A small amount of nutmeg gives the batter that authentic bakery taste — it’s subtle but noticeable.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, make a quick substitute: add 1 teaspoon vinegar to a measuring cup, pour in milk to the 1/3 cup line, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- The glaze is a simple ganache made with chopped or chopped-quality chocolate rather than chips; using real melted chocolate yields a thicker, glossier coating.
You can lightly sprinkle the glazed tops or press them into a bowl of sprinkles for full coverage — either way, the contrast of chocolate and rainbow bits is irresistible.
With classic vanilla doughnuts, a rich chocolate glaze and bright sprinkles, this recipe appeals to every doughnut lover. Don’t wait for next year’s doughnut holiday — they’re quick to make and even quicker to disappear.
Baked Cake Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze
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Ingredients
For the Doughnuts:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temperature preferred
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled
- 1/3 cup buttermilk*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Glaze
- 4 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate, I recommend not using chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a six-cavity doughnut pan with nonstick spray.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
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In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk, sugar and buttermilk until smooth. Stir in the melted cooled butter and vanilla.
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Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick.
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Spoon the batter into the doughnut cavities, or transfer it to a large zip-top bag, snip a bottom corner, and pipe the batter into the pan.
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Bake for 8–11 minutes. The doughnuts should spring back slightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the thicker part should come out clean.
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While the doughnuts cool, make the glaze. In a small saucepan over low heat, gently melt the chopped chocolate with the heavy cream. When almost melted, stir in the light corn syrup and whisk until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat.
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Dip the tops of the cooled doughnuts into the glaze, place on a cooling rack to set, and sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles while the glaze is still tacky.
Nutrition
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How did you celebrate National Doughnut Day?