Obviously, baked and fried donuts are not made the same, but I feel like they also have there own unique mood or vibe. They deserve their own category and not just because that opens up the opportunity to have two “favorite donuts”… thats just a free plus here.
Homemade baked donuts have a reputation of being dry and only good when enjoyed the same day they are baked, but they don’t have to be like this! My chocolate cake donut recipe creates the most incredibly moist, tender cake donuts that stay fabulous for days, so they are great to make for a whole week of sweet treats, as gifts for friends or to bring for the entire office to nosh on.
This recipe yields 24 full size donuts, but it is super easy to halve if you don’t need a big batch of them and I am sharing a few of my favorite glazes, so you can give yourself a few different options.
If you are looking for a really easy, super moist chocolate cake donut situation, you have found it.
Let’s get started…
This recipe comes together in the same bowl and the only “special” thing you need is a cup of hot coffee. I always have a pot hot and ready to go in my kitchen, but if you aren’t a coffee person, brew up a cup right before you start bringing the batter together (and don’t worry, you won’t actually taste the coffee here).
In a large bowl, whisk 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup of a neutral oil (I use olive oil) and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until fully combined. Add 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and 3/4 cup of brown sugar and whisk vigorously until fully incorporated.
Add 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour, 3/4 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of espresso powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix until mostly combined. It will be pretty thick at this point, so don’t try to mix it perfectly… it will be much easier to bring together once we add the coffee!
Whisk in a cup of hot, strongly brewed coffee and grab your favorite donut pan.
You can use any sized donut pan here, just make sure that you generously grease each cavity, because these donuts are super moist and a little sticky, so if your pan isn’t super clean and well greased… they may stick.
Fill each cavity half way and bake in a 350 degree oven for 6-12 minutes – 6 minutes for mini donuts, 8-9 minutes for medium donuts and 11-12 minutes for large donuts.
See how light and spongy they look? As soon as they feel springy to a light touch or a toothpick will come out of the thickest part of the donut clean, pull them out of the oven and invert the donut pan onto a cooling rack. The donuts will come out of the pan easiest as soon as they come out of the oven.
Repeat this process until all of the batter has been transformed into beautiful donuts.
Glaze & Topping Inspirations
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- Cinnamon Sugar – this is the easiest and one of the tastiest options for coating these donuts. Simply combine a cup of granulated sugar with a teaspoon of ground cinnamon (or chai spice!) in a gallon ziplock bag and gently shake the donuts (one at a time) while they are still warm in the bag until they are generously coated
- Chocolate Ganache Glaze – combine 1/4 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup of confectioners sugar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and then whisk in a splash of vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons of melted butter and 4-5 teaspoons of hot water. Whisk until everything is smooth and glossy and dip cooled donuts into the glaze within the first few minutes of bringing it together. This glaze hardens nicely, so work with it while it is still loose and smooth and then let the dipped donuts sit on a cooling rack until the glaze sets
- Vanilla Glaze – whisk 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of steaming hot milk into 2 cups of confectioners sugar and dip your cooled donuts into the glaze right away. This glaze hardens within minutes, so if you prefer a thicker glaze, dip them once and then re-whisk the glaze and re-dip the donuts for a second coating
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Feel free to add sprinkles, flaky sea salt, chopped nuts, shaved chocolate or a dusting of confectioners sugar or cocoa powder before the glaze sets.
These donuts are just perfect. So moist, so tender, so airy and regardless of how you top them, you are going to fall in love with these chocolate cake donuts for sure…
Chocolate Cake Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup of a neutral oil
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons of espresso powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of strongly brewed coffee, hot
Cinnamon Sugar (for a dozen donuts)
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Chocolate Ganache Glaze (for a dozen donuts)
- 1/4 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup of confectioners sugar
- a pinch of salt
- a splash of pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons of butter, melted
- 4-5 teaspoons of hot water
Vanilla Glaze (for a dozen donuts)
- 2 cups of confectioners sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup of milk, steaming milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°
- Generously grease your donut pan and set aside for now
- In a large bowl, whisk 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- Add 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and 3/4 cup of brown sugar and whisk completely combined
- Sift 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour, 3/4 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of espresso powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into the bowl and mix until mostly combined
- Whisk a cup of hot strongly brewed coffee into the batter
- Fill donut cavities half way and bake in a 350 degree oven for 6-12 minutes (depending on the size of your donuts) until they feel springy to a light touch or a toothpick comes out of the thickest part of a donut clean
- Look above for glazing instructions
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days
