Soft Tender Cake Donuts (Printable Version)

Soft, golden donuts with a tender crumb, finished with a smooth glaze or cinnamon sugar coating.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 3/4 cup buttermilk
09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Frying

11 - Vegetable oil, about 6 cups for frying

→ For Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
14 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Cinnamon Sugar

15 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# How To Make:

01 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then whisk in buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
03 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined; avoid overmixing.
04 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out donuts using a 3-inch donut cutter or two round cutters for holes.
05 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F.
06 - Fry donuts in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
07 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
08 - Dip warm donuts into the glaze and place on a wire rack to set.
09 - Mix granulated sugar with cinnamon, then toss warm donuts in the mixture to coat.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • They're soft and cake-like inside but somehow still manage to have that satisfying fried crispness on the outside.
  • The whole batch comes together in under an hour, including frying time.
  • You can coat them however you want—glaze, cinnamon sugar, or get creative with toppings.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the batter—the moment you stop seeing flour streaks, you're done, or you'll sacrifice that tender, cakey interior.
  • Oil temperature is everything; if it's too cool, they'll soak up oil and taste greasy, and if it's too hot, they'll brown before the inside is cooked.
  • Coat them while they're warm, or the coating won't stick and won't bond properly.
03 -
  • A candy thermometer on your oil pot is the single best investment for consistent results; guessing leads to either greasy or undercooked donuts.
  • Don't skip cooling your melted butter—adding it warm to the eggs can scramble them, and you'll end up with little flecks of cooked egg in your batter.
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