Chocolate Fudge Pistachio Cake Donuts.
I already need a break from stuffing. This is what’s wrong with 2014.
We haven’t even hit the real life holidays yet and I need a breather from potatoes and pumpkin. I figured you might too. Whyyyy do we ruin everything before it even happens?
Therefore: donuts.
Life is always better with donuts. Like I want my life to be allllll about donuts.
You know that I’ve developed a serious pistachio infatuation over the last two years. And it makes me feel like a complete old person. Like straight up elderly. Just give me a cup of pistachios in their shells and you might as well throw in a cup of butter pecan ice cream while you’re at it. Remember when I always said that only old people liked nuts in their dessert? YEAH.
NOW I’M OLD.
I feel that I can say this since I do like nuts occasionally with dessert now – definitely not in cookies or in brownies – but anything pistachio in ice cream or cake or frosting or cookies is a-okay in my book. Because it always tastes so wonderfully rich and vanilla-like and creamy and delicious. You know? Do you get it?
So. I have this cake recipe in Seriously Delish. It’s a pistachio cake made with a mascarpone pistachio filling and then covered in chocolate ganache. You can even see a pic here. It’s one of my most favorite things ever and I crave it always always always. ALWAYS.
The thing is: patience… I do not have. Some of you are really smart and have made this cake into cupcakes! I have not done that yet because 1. I’m lazy and 2. I always forget about the possibility because my mind is all over the place.
Need to get on it. Maybe this weekend.
But so, one day.
I wanted this cake SO badly. Craving it like mad. It was actually a few months ago – and I’ve been waiting ages to share these donuts – but for good reason. They are a nice little holiday dessert or breakfast without TASTING like a holiday dessert or breakfast. Right?
You get it. No pumpkin, no eggnog, no spice up the wazoo or anything here. Just some straight chocolate and pistachios. UM YEASSS.
Now I know that I’m certainly not the authority on baked donuts. I’ve even trashed talked them a bit before because to me, a donut is a lovely fried wonder of love and baking it really can’t duplicate that fried version. Especially apple cider donuts. Fried apple cider donuts. GAH.
But my thought here was: I wasn’t trying to emulate and actual “cake donut.” Instead, I was trying to make a little donut out of my actual pistachio cake. Like the full layer cake that I only have the patience to make once a year. I wanted it in a little bite-sized ring instead. A donut that tastes like my pistachio cake!
Give me this forever.
Words can’t really describe how much I adore these little nuggets. And since they ARE baked and not fried, they are ridiculously easy (or, err, easiER) and can we also say healthy?
I mean… hello… baked and not fried. Yep. Health food.
Chocolate Fudge Pistachio Cake Donuts
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup shelled pistachios, mine were roasted, plus more for topping
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk, whole or 2%, full-fat coconut or almond
chocolate ganache
- 6 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray your donut pan with nonstick spray.
- Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until crumbs remain. You want fine pistachio crumbs – not butter! Keep and eye on it. In a bowl, whisk together the ground pistachios, flours, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and the eggs, mixing until the batter is just combined. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then stir in the milk until the batter is smooth. Use a spoon and add the batter to the donut pan until each mold is about 3/4 of the way full. Bake the donuts for 15 to 17 minutes, until they are set and slightly golden. Remove and let cool. Once cool, dip each donut in the ganache and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Serve immediately.
chocolate ganache
- Add the chopped chocolate to a bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan over low heat just until bubbles appear around the edges and it’s warm. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 30 seconds, then stir continuously until it’s smooth. Stir in the butter and set aside until ready to use.
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to our facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!
UGH. So good.
37 Comments on “Chocolate Fudge Pistachio Cake Donuts.”
Those donuts look sooo goood!! And the chocolate on top? Oh my..
I’m so on board with calling these healthy! Not only are they baked, but nuts … hellooo??
Also, I’m drooling!!
These are la-dee-dahh gorgeous!! And pistachios rock … especially at this time of year!!
Yep, health food. I mean, they could be SO much worse, right? But they’re not. Therefore: health food. I looove pistachios too and your pistachio cake from the cookbook is one of the most beautiful desserts on the planet. Now you’ve made it into donut form for us all? Besides, peanut butter, donuts are life to me. This is fantastic. Thanks for sharing!
I made the cake for my birthday and it was phenomenal..everyone raved about it! I can’t wait to try these..I’ve been craving a good donut. Thanks!
Love em! Pistachios may very well be my favorite nut and then you go and put them on a chocolate doughnut! These are some kick-a$$ doughnuts!
When you want cake for breakfast, bake it in doughnut form and no one will judge. As for pistachios I am right there with you. Especially combined with dark chocolate things.And maybe some caramel, toffee and/or sea salt.
Definitely health food. And they have good-for-you nuts on them. Obviously. :-)
YOU are the sole reason I always have a container of already-shelled pistachios in my freezer. I’m obsessed :)
Oh C’mon, how can that be possible, nuts in older peoples desserts?? What about good old Nutty Buddies,the frozen novelty ice cream off the ice cream truck.
Squirrel nuts, Peanut M&M’s, Peanut brittle.Those are kids sweets!!!
And I know as a fact ,they don’t eat much for nuts, it get caught in their
dentures! HA! So there……………………so what kind of donuts did you make?
I’d like some….please.
Yes! I’ve been wanting to make that cake since I got your book but haven’t had an occasion to do so. And I don’t exactly need a whole cake just for me (sad face). Donuts are way more doable on a daily basis around here. These look perfect!
I agree, donuts everywhere!
LOVE the pistachio addition here! I have been craving them in almost everything lately!
My mouth is watering!! looks delicious!
What gorgeous donuts and the glaze and the pistachios! So many textures and flavors in one! Pinned!
I recently found how chocolate and pistachios are good together… These donuts look irresistible! :)
I would love to take a break from thanksgiving recipes with these donuts! I’m new to the food blogging world and now I feel your pain! I have eaten way too many bites of stuffing, potatoes, and corn casserole and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!. ;)
Chocolate fudge donuts sound amazing!! The pistachios must go great with it!
I’m dying over this combination!
THIS is what’s missing from my life!! YUM. Need them NOW.
uhm. these = perfection.
Award for the prettiest donuts right here! Loving these baked goodies!
Those look incredible, I love all the chopped pistachios on top. Yum! Pinned, need to make these!
Pingback: I love lists, Friday! – Shutterbean
I read your blog religiously and don’t often comment but these are too epic to pass by. Chocolate + fudge + pistachios + cakeiness + doughnuts = best thing ever :-) x
I like to pretend any doughnut is health food, so long as it’s baked. I mean, there are worse things right? My husband is the same way about nuts in his sweets, but pistachios are his exception. I will be making these for sure! I do have a question, how was the pistachio flavor in the batter? Is it dominant?
I just want to kiss these donuts! I already had Thanksgiving, so I was over stuffing in October. I will never get over donuts though. We’re tight.
love this photo series… and donuts with pistachios? not bad!
Pingback: weekend links | The Pretty Good Gatsby
YESSSSS.
Pingback: Friday food links – 28 Nov 2014 | Using Mainly Spoons
Pingback: Sunday Rocks|The 10 Best Cookbooks for Christmas | ¡HOLA! JALAPEÑO
Oh my, donuts, chocolate, pistachios! Love all of it!
I made these babies this morning (with a vanilla glaze instead of the chocolate ganache – personal preference) and I loved them! Great way to break in my new donut pan – they’re fluffy and sweet and a tasty start to my Saturday. :)
Pingback: Strawberry Buttermilk Sprinkle Donuts | How Sweet It Is
These are so cute! You did an awesome job!
Pingback: Cherry Donuts with Bourbon Glaze – TheDirtyGyro