Soft Tender Cake Donuts (Printer-Friendly)

Soft, tender cake donuts fried golden and coated with glaze or cinnamon sugar for a delightful treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

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

→ Wet Ingredients

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

→ For Frying

11 - Vegetable oil, approximately 6 cups

→ For Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 to 3 tbsp milk
14 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

→ For Cinnamon Sugar

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl, beat eggs; then add buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract, whisking until blended.
03 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined to 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.
05 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C) for frying.
06 - Fry donuts in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
07 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
08 - Dip warm donuts in glaze and place on a wire rack to set.
09 - Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, then toss warm donuts in the mixture to coat.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're genuinely soft and cakey, not dense or heavy like some homemade versions can be.
  • The whole process takes less than an hour from bowl to plate, so you can make fresh donuts without a huge time commitment.
  • You get to choose your finish—glaze, cinnamon sugar, chocolate, or whatever sounds good that morning.
02 -
  • Temperature is everything with fried donuts—invest in a candy or deep-fry thermometer and actually use it.
  • Don't walk away while they're frying; they go from golden to burnt in about 30 seconds if your back is turned.
  • The dough should be cool or room temperature before frying, so if you let it sit for 15 minutes after mixing, you'll have better results.
03 -
  • Save your oil after frying and strain it through a fine mesh; you can reuse it several times before it starts to degrade.
  • If your dough seems too wet, resist the urge to add more flour—a slightly sticky dough actually produces softer donuts.
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