Chocolate Frosted Cake Donuts.
Today we’re doing this.
Because today is my favorite day.
More specifically, Thursday is my favorite day. The anticipation of Friday and the weekend is so much fun. Personally, I find the anticipation of things more exciting than actual things. What does that say about me? Hmmm. Perhaps I need to enjoy the moment more?
Yes yes.
Well, I certainly enjoyed this moment.
I don’t think it’s any secret that I have developed a severe donut obsession over the last year. Which is just nuts, considering for nearly 30 years I didn’t have much of a desire to eat donuts. That’s practically blasphemy because of how sweet my teeth are.
I must be going through one of those whole palette changing phases. Is that really a thing? And if so, can we change my palette to want lots of green things? Excellent.
I’m still sort of snobby about my doughnuts, and yes I’m well aware that I keep writing “donut” and “doughnut.” I want to use both words! Life’s not fair.
But yeah… snobby donut eater I am. First off, they have to be fresh. If you’ve ever seen the Five Year Engagement (which I sort of think is one of the worst movies in the world even though I have a major crush on Jason Segel) they even do experiments with people who eat stale donuts. It’s sort of funny and sort of dumb and sort of… true?
I don’t know. I just know I wasted a good three hours of my life watching that movie alone one Saturday night and was unenthused. And I’m a terrible critic.
Anyhoo: my donuts must be fresh fresh fresh. I don’t like cream-filled donuts. Don’t give me any powdered sugar ones. Fruit filled? No way. My favorites are sugared and anything chocolate frosted. I did try that brownie batter donut that Dunkin was touting around Valentine’s Day and ummm… it made me want to die. Like complete sugar bomb went off in my mouth. Not in a good way. And this is ME we are talking about.
I love my sugar.
So I think the consensus is I’m a bit of a donut purist?
Oh, except for these mini maple bacon ones.
And these blueberry ones.
Darnit. I don’t know what I am. Will I ever know?
I do know one thing: I will stop at nothing to use my fair share of sprinkles.
These cake doughnuts are super easy (for doughnuts) and yes – fried. I actually like baked doughnuts, but if I am going to make a donut and eat a donut, I’m going to fry that sucker. These don’t taste EXACTLY like the cake ones you’d get from Dunkin, but they are pretty close and darn delicious. The chocolate glaze is so good too. If you don’t want to go to the extra hassle, you can use a simple ganache, but this glaze plus sprinkles plus this donut… I’m done.
Chocolate Frosted Cake Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- oil for frying
chocolate glaze
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Make a well in the center.
- In a large measuring glass, whisk together milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract. Pour into the center of the dry ingredients then mix with a large spoon. Stir until dough is combined but do not overmix. The dough will be sticky! Cover with plastic wrap and set the bowl in the fridge for 1 hour.
- After and hour, remove dough and place on a well floured surface. Roll dough out to be about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Using a doughnut cutter, biscuit cutter or… something round, cut circles into the dough. To cut out the center, I used the wide bottom of a frosting tip, but you can also use a bottle cap or something of the sort.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat so it’s about 2-3 inches deep. Once the oil hits 360-365 degrees, fry the doughtnuts 2-3 at a time, for about 2 minutes per side, or until puffed and golden brown. Make sure you use a candy thermometer as this is the only way to determine the temperature! I have burned many doughnuts in my life. It is not pretty. Remove doughnuts with a slotted spoon and let cool on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining.
- While doughnuts are cooling, heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add butter, vanilla, corn syrup and milk. Whisk to combine and once butter is melt, reduce heat to low and add chopped chocolate. Whisk ask to combine, then once smooth, remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar. Stir continuously until it is all dissolve and no lumps remain. Dunk each doughnut into the glaze, then cover with sprinkles. Let set for about 30 minutes.
Notes
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!
It’s like they are begging you to eat them.
123 Comments on “Chocolate Frosted Cake Donuts.”
totally agree with you on the five year engagement – i wanted to like it but couldn’t. and i also couldn’t stop watching it even though it was SO BAD.
these donuts look fab. perfect weekend treat.
I so agree about the anticipation thing! All week I look forward to the weekend, then bam it here and I have no idea what to do.
Also these look fab! How would I convert this to a baked donut recipe? Frying kind of terrifies me. :)
These look fabulous! Your photog skills are really good. You make the food jump off the screen. I’m with you, creme-filled, yuck, fruit? WTF? It is pure doughy goodness and chocolate all the way for me. Sometimes I’ll mix it up with glazed, sugar, or sprinkles, as you have demonstrated. Fresh is best so it begs the question, what do you do with the rest? What is your maximum donut consumption? Err, or is that not polite to ask? lol At any rate, great post.
Jody
P.S. I didn’t see 5-year-engagement. I’m philosophically opposed to any engagement lasting more than two years. Shit or get off the pot is what I say. Good thing hubby and I were on the same page.
Ok, I can agree that The Five Year Engagement was a terrible movie. However, did you watch the deleted scenes section and see the scene where the professor is trying to explain how to pronounce his dog’s name (Gwyrth)? The scene is way shorter in the movie, but the extended version is pee-your-pants hilarious. I think I watched it about 20 times and busted a gut every time.
Hells yes to these donuts. Nothin’ beats a freshly fried donut!
Thank goodness you made these donuts THE REAL WAY! I am so over baked donuts.
These look amazing! And I will step up and take all of the cream/custard-filled doughnuts that you don’t want, haha.
I’m not big on doughnuts but these look absolutely delicious! In fact, I’m so uneducated on anything doughnut related that I didn’t realize there were any baked ones. This is one of those foods that I find easier to just buy – kind of like chicken wings!
Your photography is beautiful, by the way!
FashionEdible Blog
Yum, yum, yum. I am incredibly particular about my doughnuts too. Not worth it if they aren’t amazingly wonderful. I think these hit the mark.
Jessica, it’s a shame I’ve discovered your site just now! I’m so adding you to my blog reader. Have a nice weekend!
xo Julia
get out of here…I soooo wish I could have one of these right now!
Jessica they look perfect!
Such an interesting recipe…it’s a kneaded dough, but not a yeasted dough. And it’s a cake donut that’s fried. I know that many people fry their cake donuts but I guess I always bake mine. Lots of little tweaks that I love seeing your process b/c they’re things I don’t do when I make mine. I know you said you don’t like fruit in donuts but I have a mango donut that I love and I know you like mango! But I prefer chocolate :)
Drool alert. I’ll be honest. I’m so tempted to copy down the instructions word for word and make these like right now. For dinner. And dessert. And in a cocktail. But I’m not even going to look at the recipe. It would be the end of me. If my brain knew I was capable of actually making donuts at home, anytime I wanted!? Pfft. My steady decline of productivity would take a nosedive. And never recover.
But I’m damn tempted. You tempter.
These are adorable! I am begging to eat them! Love the sprinkles on chocolate glaze!
i would kill for one of those donuts right now. kill.
OMG those look sooooo yummy!!!! i love your blog!!!! <3
Follow me? chiccupcake1.blogspot.com
-Jen <3 :D
What kind of oil do you use to fry the donuts?
Oh don’t mind me, over here, drooling on my keyboard. Chocolate glazed donuts are my favorite. I just haven’t gotten up the courage to fry donuts yet, but now I basically have to.
Pingback: fun facts friday
the holy grail of donuts where I live http://www.frostysdonuts.com/
if you ever find yourself in Maine
Pingback: Friday Finds
Pingback: Weekend Inspiration | Meyers Styles.com
I reckon I could eat about 100 of them. They look amazing!
Are you serious? I need one of these now!
Cake donuts are my favorite. I’m with you – no fruit filled, no cream filled. Chocolate donuts aaaaallll the way!
Pingback: Stacks on Stacks | Cupcakes for Breakfast
Pingback: Baked Doughnuts – Three Ways
Pingback: Tangent Tuesday — Koko Likes
Pingback: Chocolate Frosted Cake Donuts
I dont know about your girlie movies but these doughnuts rock, I make dinner and a treat for around 10 guys every Thursday night, the guys thought I bought them not home made them, they were gone in no time… Thank you :]
I hated that movie too! I kept waiting for a punchline to happen, and then things would just get more depressing.
These doughnuts, though. They look like they could cure my depression,
I’ve never been so jealous of another’s ability to make doughnuts!!!
Pingback: Loving Homemade Donuts - The Sweetest Occasion | The Sweetest Occasion
Pingback: Chocolate Mini Donuts with Peanut Butter Glaze | Cake 'n' KnifeCake 'n' Knife
Pingback: Happy National Doughnut Day! Get Your Free Doughnuts (Or Make Your Own!) | The Nest Blog – Home Décor, Cooking, Money, Health & Sex News & Advice
Pingback: Mmm… National Doughnut Day | Meyers Styles.com
Pingback: Chocolate Frosted Cake Donuts | Cool Cooking School
Pingback: Chocolate Frosted Donuts
no need for a candy thermometer using a wooden spoom works the same way, by putting a wooden spoon in the center of the oil, when it bubbles
the oil is ready, check it out.
opps thats SPOON lol
Hi Sherry, I don’t have a candy thermometer. So I will try this method!
Love them! I’ve always wanted to make donuts and it was so easy! Thank you!!!!
Pingback: Chocolate Frosted Cake Donuts
Pingback: Later, 2013. | pinmeplease
Pingback: Crunchy Kettle Chip Chocolate Frosted Raised Donuts | How Sweet It Is
Pingback: Chocolate Frosted Raised Donuts (with, um, crunchy kettle potato chips.) | pinmeplease
Pingback: Strawberry Coconut Baked Donuts - Recipe Runner
hi just wanted to know do you know how to make this Chocolate Frosting Covered Custard Filled Donut.. thank you
Pingback: Stuff ‘n’ Things: Volume 20
Oh don’t mind me, over here, drooling on my keyboard. Chocolate glazed donuts are my favorite. I just haven’t gotten up the courage to fry donuts yet, but now I basically have to.
Pingback: Homemade Chocolate Glazed Donuts | Style & Sprinkles
Pingback: Cinnamon Sugar Cake Doughnuts | That L.A. Writer