Easy Glazed Chocolate Cake Donuts

There is really nothing like a donut on a Sunday morning, and these easy glazed chocolate cake donuts make your morning cup of coffee something really special. 

Dish Count :: 2 Mixing Bowls, 1 Donut Pan

If there was any doubt that Huck was not a human teenager trapped in a dog, it is gone now. We know, as we always have, that he is spoiled. His eye roll and over dramatic sighs when he doesn’t get his way are the same as a 13 year old hormonal teenager whose parents “just don’t understand”,  and “You don’t know what I’m going through!”. If we weren’t already prepared for what was about to happen, we are now…

Why do I need donuts? Because of my dog.

The final nail in the hormonal teenager dog coffin, was that Huck has been getting pretty spoiled with being allowed on the couch, and he milks it every chance he gets. You’ll see it in my instagram stories frequently. When one person is on the couch, and there is an open space, Huck is there to fill it. Gladly. “If you’re not using it, I would be happy to occupy this warm comfortable space”. Never mind he has a $300 memory foam dog bed that is probably, no it IS, more comfortable than my own.

Having never been a cuddly dog when he was a pup, he’s definitely sliding into home since he’s turned 9. And when he doesn’t get his way, he knows the routine. If mom says no – go ask dad.

And last night that’s EXACTLY what he did. Huffing, puffing, and signing all over the place, I could hear Ben in the living room as I worked in the office typing away, “No, Huck. Go lay on your basket.” And the most almighty sigh that followed. A few seconds later, the 90 pound hound trapsed his way into the office, put his face under my arm and looked at me with the saddest seal eyes known to man. MILKING IT.

I didn’t feel bad for him entirely, I did shimmy the heated lap blanket I had on, a little more onto the floor, and he curled right up on my feet under my desk to promptly zonk out and snore.

While we might hope that we will be good, strict, non-pushover parents… the truth is. We’re going to be terrible at it. And Huck knows it, too. 

I know you probably want me to just hush about the dog and get to the doughnuts, so I will. The base of these chocolate cake doughnuts is actually from my FAVORITE chocolate cake recipe. It’s one I have gone back to again and again for its real chocolate flavor. It was because of these Chocolate cupcakes with Bailey’s Whipped Frosting that I fell in love with this recipe and use it as my go-to in every way I can. I stumbled upon it years ago (5 years if you check the date stamp) from browsing Tasty Kitchen where I used to be a contributor.

Anywho, it’s a magic recipe and I hope you like it too. No boxed mixes here!! Just real, fluffy, chocolate cake donuts.

Ingredients for Easy Glazed Chocolate Cake Donuts

Chocolate Cake Donuts:

• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• Sugar
• Flour
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Egg
• Milk
• Water
• Vegetable Oil
• Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Bean Glaze:

• Powdered Sugar
• Milk
• Vanilla Bean Paste
• Salt

How to Make Chocolate Donuts

These are easy treats to make for any day of the week, but particularly the weekend! And I wouldn’t be mad at all if you chose to add in mini chocolate chips to the batter.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and half teaspoon salt. 
2. In another medium bowl, stir together the water, egg, milk, vegetable oil and teaspoon vanilla extract. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, folding together until just combined and smooth with only a streak or two of the flour mixture peeking through.
3. Spray a doughnutsbakingpan with non-stick spray. Fill the doughnut pan with batter. Bake the donuts for about 11-12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the donuts comes out clean. Let them rest in the pan for one minute, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Flip the donut pan out onto the cooling rack to allow them to cool completely before frosting. 
4. For the glaze, whisk together all the glaze ingredients into a small bowl. Dip the tops of each cooled chocolate cake donut into the glaze. Once the glaze is set, serve.

Easy Donut Hack – Use a Piping Bag

One of the easiest ways to fill the doughnut pan is to use either a piping bag, or a quart Ziploc bag to fill the pan. Snip the tip of the bag after it has been filled with batter and you can quickly, and cleanly, fill each of the donut pan cavities. Baking these donuts might save you a few calories as opposed to its fried cousin, so anything we can do helps.

Can I made a chocolate glaze for these chocolate doughnuts?

Yes! Obviously that is a great idea! You can add in a tablespoon or two of chocolate cocoa powder to the vanilla glaze mixture to create a chocolate icing. Add in a pinch of salt to create a better depth of flavor.

Inspired Homemade Recipes To Try

Gingerbread Coffee Baked Donuts

Blueberry Lemon Glazed Doughnuts

Cranberry Orange Baked Donuts

Neapolitan Donuts

Baked Pistachio Pudding Donuts

Baked Coconut Donuts

Print