Most home bakers don’t make donuts at home because they require deep-frying and don’t seem to be as good as those from specialty bakeries and donut shops. However, I recently found a recipe for baked donuts in an excellent cookbook I was reviewing, The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook, that promised to be as good as the deep fried ones. I was quite skeptical, but it just so happens that chocolate cake donuts are my favorite, so I tried them. The donuts in the first batch were good, albeit not beautiful, so for the following Baked Chocolate Cake Donuts, I have incorporated a few changes to the original recipe to insure that your baked donuts will turn out delicious and almost perfect.


18 Donuts

6 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup Dutch cocoa powder, or unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1 16 oz. can Chocolate frosting

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Spray 3 6-donut silicone molds liberally with non-stick spray.
3. Measure the butter, vegetable oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and milk into a large mixing bowl; mix on medium speed until smooth.
4. Place a fine strainer over the mixture; add the flour to the strainer, as well as the cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; shake the mixture through; with the mixer on low speed, mix until smooth.
5. Fill a large decorating bag with a large plain tip with the mixture.
6. Pipe batter into each of the donut molds. Each donut should be about 3/4 full.
7. Bake 14-16 minutes or until set and a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean.
8. Let the donuts sit 15 minutes before unmolding. They are very delicate at this point, and you have to be careful when unmolding.
9. Place a cooling rack on a large baking sheet and place the unmolded donuts on the rack.
10. Melt the chocolate frosting in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until liquid and pourable. Pour frosting over the cooled donuts and let set. Note: you will be tempted to dip the donuts into the liquid frosting, but will find that since the donuts are very delicate until they have sat an hour or two, that they will break apart if you try to dip them and you will have a mess and have to eat a lot of broken donuts.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 256 Calories from Fat 112
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 44% Protein 4% Carb. 52%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 12 g
Saturated Fat 5 g
Cholesterol 37 mg
Sodium 339 mg
Total Carbohydrate 33 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 13 g
Protein 3 g

Vitamin A 4% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% Iron 3%