Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts are the best alternative to frying while still getting a rich fluffy donut. These get even closer to the classic flavor with chocolate icing and sprinkles to make a delicious chocolate sprinkle doughnut.
First things first:
Are Baked Doughnuts good?
The answer is yes! However if the question was do they taste just like fried doughnuts the answer would be no. They're each their own separate thing but are both equally delicious. Some things that help baked doughnuts:
- Not over baking! These need to be baked just until they're cooked through and then popped out of the mold after about 5 minutes. If you let them cool in the pan they might stick and they'll also continue to bake.
- Use Buttermilk or Sour Cream. These use buttermilk but either one is okay to help with a rich crumb that will make these resemble the fried counterpart a little more.
- Put as much flavor as you can in them! These use espresso powder and chocolate chips to really help boost the chocolate flavor and make these taste even better.
How to make Baked Cake Doughnuts:
- Prepare Your Doughnut Pan. Spray it liberally with cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk them all together and set aside.
- Melt the butter and chocolate. Then add the sugar, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Mix just until combined then fill up the doughnut pan cavities halfway.
- Bake! Just until they're cooked through and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool the doughnuts. Let the doughnuts sit in the pan then carefully flip the pan over a cooling rack for them to fall out and cool completely.
- Make the glaze. Right before you're ready to glaze the doughnuts, mix all the glaze ingredients together until smooth.
- Dip! Carefully dip the tops of the doughnuts in the glaze then place back on the cooling rack and top with sprinkles.
Can I freeze Baked Cake Doughnuts?
- Yes! Just place them on an even layer on a baking sheet, unglazed, and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Place in a freezer safe zip top bag and store for up to one month.
- When you want to serve, just remove from the freezer and thaw completely at room temperature and follow the glaze making directions in the recipe.

Baked Double Chocolate Cake Doughnut Recipe
Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts are the best alternative to frying while still getting a rich fluffy donut. These get even closer to the classic flavor with chocolate icing and sprinkles to make a delicious chocolate sprinkle doughnut.
Serving Size: Doughnuts
Ingredients
Chocolate-y Cake Doughnuts:
- Cooking spray for doughnut pan
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 ounces dark chocolate chips or chopped
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ cup buttermilk shaken
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze & Sprinkles:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 to 5 tablespoons milk or water
- 1 teaspoon corn syrup optional
- 3 tablespoons sprinkles of choice you might need more, who knows!
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray your doughnut pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a medium saucepan, set over medium heat, add the butter. When melted, add the chocolate chips and espresso powder. Allow to stand and melt for a minute or two and then mix with a spatula until smooth. Turn the heat off and then stir in the sugar and egg yolk. Lastly, whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
- In one batch, add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until you no longer see any speckles of flour. Fill the doughnut pan half way. Transfer the doughnuts to the oven to bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until firm to the touch. Allow to cool in the doughnut pan for a minute or two and then run a butter knife along the outside, lifting them out of the pan with your fingers. Transfer them to a cooling rack while you make the frosting.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of milk. Add more milk or water, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a thick yet pourable consistency. If you like, you can add the corn syrup. This is not mandatory and was only used to give it that beautiful sheen—feel free to skip it! Dip the doughnuts, one at a time, into the frosting and place back on the cooling rack. Top with a liberal amount of sprinkles. Doughnuts will stay delicious for up to 3 days when kept in an airtight container.
Notes
This is a great recipe to double, if you're feeling lots of doughnuts in your life.
Equipment:
Silicone Spatula | Fine Mesh Strainer | Stainless Steel Bowls
Nutrition
Calories: 396kcal (20%) | Carbohydrates: 74g (25%) | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 12g (18%) | Saturated Fat: 9g (56%) | Cholesterol: 17mg (6%) | Sodium: 189mg (8%) | Potassium: 322mg (9%) | Fiber: 4g (17%) | Sugar: 64g (71%) | Vitamin A: 208IU (4%) | Calcium: 110mg (11%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)
If you make these Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts, let me know on Instagram!
Looking for more dessert recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
Anjanette says
Can you substitute milk chocolate or semi sweet chocolate for the dark chocolate? I am not a big fan of dark chocolate and neither are my kids. Thanks in advance. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Adrianna Adarme says
Sure that should work just fine!
Lea says
Would this work for mini cupcakes too? I only have 1 mini donut pan....and 6 kids....
Venus says
Will this batter hold up to shaping for the fryer, or must they be baked?
Adrianna Adarme says
I'm not sure since I've never fried it. Something tells me it won't.
CHRISTINE says
Am already salivating
instalacje_elektryczne says
So beautiful doughnuts! I could eat them all, they must be delicious 😉
Flor says
So I want to make tres leches donuts for my girls' birthday. Do you think I can use the base of this recipe sans the chocolate and espresso and then use the tres leches glaze. The party is for 50 people so I really don't want to fry 50+ plus donuts. I promise to make these chocolate donuts as well since I am a fan of your cooking style.
Adrianna Adarme says
Hmm...I'm afraid it won't work. I'm not sure since I didn't test it that way and I have a feeling it'd be too big of a risk. Sorry I can't be more help!
Nikki Rader says
I've never much had a desire to buy a doughnut pan, but I DEFINITELY do now! These look delicious!!
Jesssi says
WANT. Oh my word... I could eat ten of these.
Steph says
These look heavenly.
xo
http://www.iolablog.com/
Ashley Nathalie says
Yum Yum Yum. I haven't had a doughnut in a loooooooooong time. Now I must get one. This weekend. Done.
joanna // jojotastic says
ahh!! please come to seattle and make these for me. correction: i'll fly you to seattle to make these for me.
Adrianna Adarme says
DEAL!
Mollie says
Oh my goodness, you are killing me with these!! They look so amazing.
xoxo Mollie
http://www.molliebellezza.com
Lauren @ Lauren Caris Cooks says
Wow!! I would absolutely LOVE to try one of these. That chocolate icing looks SO tempting and the doughnuts look so light. Beautiful pictures too 🙂
Lauren x
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Your donuts look so perfect!! I definitely need to get on this. I mean, that glaze?!?
Medeja says
Yummy! They look so tempting! Would like to grab one 🙂