Baked Red Velvet Cake Doughnuts.
I didn’t want to buy a doughnut pan.
I didn’t want to bake doughnuts.
I especially didn’t want to bake doughnuts and post them on my blog.
I reallllly didn’t want to succumb to the doughnut pan trend.
I didn’t want to do something that I didn’t want to do.
You can see how well that all worked out. Obviously.
But seriously, I didn’t want to bake doughnuts when, let’s be real… they are pretty perfect all on their own after a big bath in the fryer. And they come out with a somewhat funky shape that looks like a doughnut but isn’t a real doughnut. See above.
And while we are on this topic, is it “doughnut” or “donut?” Is it maybe only “donut” because Dunkin’ Donuts says so? I like “donut” better but that’s simply because I’m lazy and would rather not type out an extra “ugh.” Truth!
So, remember when Ashley brought me those doughnuts last week? Yeah. The day after that I had to pack for a trip and work on a few recipes and do a bunch of other stuff that I normally do, but instead of that I drove over an hour just to buy a doughnut pan. Oh and that place didn’t even have a doughnut pan. So I had to drive somewhere else.
Then instead of doing all of the work I was supposed to do, I made about six batches of doughnuts. I took them to my parent’s house that night where they were promptly demolished. Then the next day, the morning of the day we were leaving for our trip, when I should have been doing laundry/cleaning/packing/showering/working, I made two more big batches of doughnuts to take as road trip snacks.
I was all excited and junk because now not only had I decided that I really loved doughnuts, but Mr. How Sweet already loved them. I mean… loved. I figured he’d be pumped. Until he came home from the airport that morning and relayed his breakfast and “power” snacks consisting of one jumbo blueberry muffin, one Cinnabon bun and two Krispy Kremes.
Anyway.
All I could think about on our trip was doughnuts. I wanted to make more and wanted to experiment and wanted to bake a billion apple cider doughnuts and live on them alone. But there were two very specific flavors that I couldn’t get out of my mind; two flavors that were really gnawing at my brain: mint chocolate chip and red velvet.
Mint chocolate chip was my number one choice, but someone in this house hates the chocolate + mint combo. And given my doughnut fixation, I did not think it would be wise to bake a large batch of doughnuts for me, myself and I. Apparently… doughnuts do not an everyday dinner make. Uh… who makes the rules here?
So. Instead of doing anything important last week, I baked red velvet doughnuts. I’m a total sellout. They were way too good not to share, and the good news is that I already own a deep fryer. Fried doughnuts coming up next! Me and the treadmill are BFF’s.
Baked Red Velvet Cake Doughnuts
[adapted from the doughnut recipe of the back of the Wilton pan]
makes 10-12 standard-sized doughnuts
1 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup buttermilk + 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring (I used “no taste red” gel)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and baking powder, then mix with a spoon. Add in buttermilk and egg, mixing to combine. Stir in butter. In a small bowl, mix baking soda and vinegar together, then add in vanilla. Add the mixture to the doughnut batter, then stir in red food coloring. Using a pastry bag or spoon (I found a spoon was easier since this batter is more cake-like) fill each doughnut mold 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 7-8 minutes, thne let cool for 5 minutes before removing.
Notes: I tried these with all-purpose flour and while they did work, they weren’t nearly as cakey as the ones made with cake flour. Also, depending on your red food coloring brand, you may want to add it gradually and go by the color of the batter to determine the amount to add.
Whipped Cream Cheese Glaze
1/4 cup whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4-5 tablespoons heavy cream, or more depending on texture
In a bowl, whisk cream cheese vigorously until it smoothes out. Add in sugar, vanilla and cream one tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly. This glaze will be a bit thicker (almost like a thin frosting), so add more or less cream depending on your desired consistency. Either dip doughnuts or frost them with a small spoon, then cover in sprinkles or shaved chocolate.
P.S. The whipped cream cheese glaze will make you overdose. Just sayin’.
353 Comments on “Baked Red Velvet Cake Doughnuts.”
I love you and I hate you for this. And yes, I too own those donut pans!
Genius!
O.M.G. Thank goodness I have no coffee at my desk at the moment bc i think i would have taken a bite off my screen!!! I have not bought a doughnut pan bc i didn’t want to be “trendy” but BAKED doughnuts…. oh… my. Is being 6 1/2mo pregnant excuse enough to make some of these?? ;)
I say yes. Do it. Seriously. I also held out because I didn’t want to be trendy. And when I bought it, I swore I would NEVER put a recipe on my blog. Hmmm…
I’m seeing doughnuts pop up everywhere! Time to find a doughnut pan!
These look incredible Jessica! Gorgeous photos!!
ok now this is making me want to buy a doughnut pan! These look incredible!
I cannot wait to make these. Red Velvet are by far my favorite cupcakes – now doughnuts!
I have been OBSESSING over doughnuts lately. I have a Pinterest board specifically devoted to them! Then you tell me I can make doughnuts without kneading the dough AND without a deep fryer?! Are you for real?? This made my Monday a whole lot better!
Okay now I need to go obsessed over your Pinterest board!
I am all about the baked donuts. (DONUTS) Not the same as fried, obvs, but so much less messy, which makes up for it.
These look amazing. Perfection. I am a donut lovah, so my opinion counts as like ten normal opinions.
I love you…That’s all you should know.!
I so happily indulge in the baked doughnut trend. Life is so much better with healthied-up doughnuts in my life! I need these next!!
Thank you so much for posting these. I’m so impressed that the baked part contains no oil or butter.. that is awesome! Technically, this isn’t terribly bad for you.. I’m sure the glaze tastes amazing. Girl, it’s all about balance, I love it. Bookmarking these. Thanks Jess!
Hahahaha, um… this comment made me realize I forgot to add the butter in the recipe. There is only 2 tablespoons though. ;)
that’s not bad. i’ll still make it. I look at the ratio and the quantity. At least now I’m convinced it’ll taste amazing. :-)
This looks so mouth watering recipe What if I do not have doughnut pans? how can I shape the doughnuts then?
If you don’t have a donut pan I’m pretty sure you can make these into muffins, filling the tins 2/3 of the way full and baking for maybe about 10 minutes? I am not positive as I haven’t tried it yet though. If you do, let me know!
Red velvet donuts were the first donuts I made with my donut pan last February. And now my donut pan and I are good friends!! Yours look fantastic!!
very curious about the mint chocolate chip :) just don’t buy a whoopie pie pan…. not necessary
No worries there… I don’t even like whoopie pies. Granted my husband loves them. Of course.
Those look so yummy – I know you can do them as muffins, but this is just one more reason to put that donut pan on my Christmas wish list – a very, very good reason!
I am now going to have to fight very hard to ignore the impulse to get up RIGHT NOW and go purchase that donut pan. Oh my gosh, those look delicious.
It’s only $10… just sayin’. :)
Okay, you just stole my heart. I love red velvet and seeing them in the form of a doughnut! YUM!
the photos are stunning!!
so glad u bought that donut pan ;)
Thank you!
I am making these as soon as I find a donut pan. So glad you opted for the red velvet. I, too, hate the mint + chocolate combo. I am the female version of your husband. (Mint chocolate hater, light switch psycho, and chicken addict) Too bad you & I already have husbands. I need a wife. Wives are SO much more useful than husbands.
LOL! Love this.
My sister and I recently made a trip into the basement and discovered that we own a deep fryer. Well that the family owns a deep fryer. We brought it up to the kitchen, threw on gloves, and scrubbed that thing down. One of us did more cleaning than the other, while that other one looked up things we could deep fry and obviously our number one choice was donuts.(We also deep fried pickles,oreos, and made funnel cake) We used a Paula D recipe which was deliousssss. They have to be eaten fresh, they don’t taste great the next day, buuut I have totally wanted to try a recipe for baked donuts because my jeans just aren’t fitting so well these days. This one looks fabulous and so yummy my stomach is literally growling as I type this. Thank you for sharing!
This made my day.
Now I need a donut pan… Thanks jess now not only am I going to be in debt but look like a whale!! Who cares! I must make these..you only live once right?
You got that right. ;)
I’ve never heard of red velvet donuts before. These look amazing and your photos are beautiful. I will have to add a donut pan to my list of needed kitchen goodies. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Julie!
I might be evil-laughing right now because of this post. I’m glad my donuts made you cave. muahahaa I’m curious to hear what the texture of these was like in comparison. I love the white cream cheese frosting. I have the same problem with the spelling as well….still debating that one in my head!
I actually think your recipe gave the donuts a much more “real” donut texture! These ones are literally like cake, but not as much texture-wise to cake doughnuts as yours were. If that makes any sense!
I’m still holding out on the donut pan trend…although these might just prompt me to go get one myself.
These look so good!! I made your Snicker Chip Doodles for a dinner party this weekend, and they were a huge hit!! Can’t wait to make more of your recipes! :)
Awesome – so glad they were a hit!
These look like pretty much the best thing ever!
I am so glad you gave in and made these :-)
I think (I know) that I like baked doughnuts better because they taste more like cake. Also, I like typing the extra “ugh” – it seems fancier. Also, whip cream cheese glaze?! Holy moly.
Whoa. These are beautiful. Really. I mean, like you, I love fried donuts. They make my happy. But these are calling to me.
These look great but where do you buy a doughnut pan? I live about an hour from Vancouver, BC and can’t find one anyone where. I need to find a doughnut pan!!!
I’m in Toronto and I’ve seen them at quite a few Winners stores. You could also probably find them at Michaels or Home Outfitters too :-)
Thanks. I’ll look at Winners. I was at Home Outfitters on the weekend and couldn’t find them there. I saw them online at Williams Sonoma a year ago and could kick myself for not buying it when I saw it!
I got mine at Sur La Table – you can order one here! http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-670836/Wilton-Standard-Doughnut-Pan
Or you can also get them on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-6-Count-Nonstick-Donut-Pan/dp/B0002KZSSC
Thanks so much! I’ll for sure check out those sites. I’m dying to make homemade doughnuts!
You did it again..by creating another recipe I’m going to try. But this time, I’ll do you one better! My daughter begged for a cake pop baker (yes she too is a trend hopper) for her birthday, and being the cake lover that I am — I succumbed. We’ve made delicious cake pops and I’m sure this recipe will be a hit. Why, because the first recipe she asked for was red velvet cake pops, and that one wasn’t in the recipe booklet! Thanks again, can’t wait to try this.
Michelle – are you combining the cake with frosting to make the pops? Or just using a batter to make the shape of a cake pop? This recipe may not be sweet enough (I didn’t use as much sugar since it was a donut and not actual cake) so you may want to try this one! http://www.howsweeteats.com/2010/01/red-velvet-cake-2/ :)
Those look absolutely incredible! And I don’t even like donuts, too haha.
Okay – you couldn’t resist the donut pan frenzy.
That means I shouldn’t try anymore either.
Donut pan will be procured this week. First up? Your red velvet donuts because they look damn divine.
These look so good and some of your best photography yet! (In my humble opinion :) Can’t wait to try them…After I get a doughnut pan :)
Aw, thanks!
You may not have wanted to do this, but I’m so glad you did. ;)
ummm I need to buy a donut pan. today.
I nearly bought one this weekend — the only thing that stopped me was that I’ve got so many single-purpose pans :-S
With that being said though, I might just cave. What did you do about the funky shape on the sides? shave it off or hide with icing? (your photos hide it well if you did the icing option!)
Nope I actually didn’t do anything. I just frosting them so I guess it sort of hid it? I am curious about that though – so many other bloggers post them and they look perfectly round. Not sure if it’s an illusion or if I’m doing something wrong.
WHOA! These look incredible. Honestly, I’m really excited about baked doughnuts because frying is soooo annoying. It’s way WAY easier to just make the dough and then bake it. So this means that these doughnuts are totally in my near future. ;)
I LOVE my Wilton donut pan! Eric has an unnatural obsession with donuts and I hate to fry things so the donut pan was a natural solution. So far I have made a S’mores Donut and a Carmel Apple Donut that were both outta this world. (I have an unnatural obsession with S’mores so this was and still is my favorite) I am looking forward to try a pumpkin version and mint chocolate chip also sounds wonderful!
I am going to buy a donut/doughnut pan right now!! yum!
nothing to do with donuts…but i am making your Beer BBQ chicken right now at home while i am working…I hope its as tasty as it sounds :)
Keep me posted!
super yummy….used a pumpkin beer I am not fond of drinking and sweet baby rays….It was GOOD
first of all, i love that you used white sprinkles on white glaze. gorg.
secondly, i love you for bringing this into my life.
OHHHH, going shopping this weekend at a kitchen outlet. Guess I’ll be looking for a donut pan. My mouth waters everytime I read your blog!
Okay, so I’m totally going to have to buy a donut pan now. :)
i got sucked in too! it’s okay, these look amazing
You may have just convinced me that I now need one of these donut (doughnut?) pans. These look too awesome not to have it!
Me, all I can think about is buying a donut pan. I’ve always liked the cake donuts better than the yeast-based kind and although I’ve made fried donuts in the past, I’m actually craving baked ones these days.
But chocolate and mint are awesome together!!!!Well, this combo looks amazing too. Glad you gave into the trend :)
Wow – talk about heaven on earth! These look so yummy. We had a red velvet wedding cake because I’m that in love with red velvet. I don’t know why I have never thought of red velvet donuts!