Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts
These Mini Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts are so delicious, and so easy, you’ll absolutely love the chocolate flavor and wonderful texture.
I was quite the funny little kid. Quite the weird one as well. I was definitely…unique. I hated clothes, and when I say hated, I mean HATED. I was always naked. My parents were worried about that aspect of my personality. They used to find me sitting on the curb outside of our house waving at the passing cars…with no clothes on. Maybe some underwear if they were lucky. It was embarrassing to say the least. I was also super fussy. I hated pretty much everyone except for my mom and nanny until I was about three. I wouldn’t eat anything except for bread, artichoke, fruit, pasta, and chicken. Oh, and candy and baked goods of course. You could say I had a pretty horrible diet.
However, despite it all, I was still a pretty funny kid. I was pretty cute too, if I do say so myself. The best part? I was totally one of those kids who had no idea that what they were saying was so stupid. One time when I was probably 4 or 5, after hearing the word ‘comedian’ on T.V., I thought I would be all smart and call my dad a comedian when he tried to be funny. Well, turns out I heard wrong and said “Oh my goodness Dad, you are such a chameleon!” So, that whole being sarcastic and clever didn’t work out so well for my back in the day. My dad still brings that up on a regular basis and pretty much everyone who knows us has heard that story at least once.
My dads favorite story about me though? Definitely the nut story. One day, in an attempt to make me eat better, my dad said to me “Rachie, what’s your favorite nut?”
Looking for the typical almond or peanut, he smiled and waited for my answer while I pondered the possibilities. Then I looked up at him and earnestly said, “Well, a donut!” I was sufficiently pleased with my answer. They were obviously the best kind of nuts. I didn’t even know what was wrong with that answer. I mean, it had nut in the name so it was a nut, and their was no arguing with that.
To this day, my parents still make fun of that moment and claim that as the moment they knew I would forever be addicted to sweets. They were so right.
I also used to get this doughnut that was like…a beast. It was pretty much the Hummer of doughnuts. It was bigger than my head. But I used to eat the whole freaking thing. I loved that doughnut.
Now…these doughnuts I made. These are the Smart Cars of doughnuts! They’re so little, but so yummy! Another thing I love: super prime frosting to cake ratio. I never liked that about my giant doughnut…too much cake, not enough frosting. But these doughnuts? Perfection. The nutmeg may seem like an unusual addition, but it gives a flavor to these doughnuts that makes you want to take another bite. The chocolate glaze hardens into a smooth, fudgy topping. Yum yum. My dad tasted one and exclaimed “Okay, you need to open a mini doughnut store. Doughnuts are totally the new cupcake.” I totally agree. So go make these…you don’t even need a doughnut pan, I promise.
PrintBaked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 15 mini doughnuts 1x
Ingredients
For the doughnuts
- 1 ⅓ cups (125g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (10g) natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fine grain salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
For the chocolate glaze
- ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
For the doughnuts
- Lightly grease a mini doughnut (or muffin) tin and preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda, and then whisk in the sugar, nutmeg and salt.
- Add the butter, and using your fingers, rub it into the dry ingredients until it becomes coarse crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, yogurt, vanilla and egg. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix, or your doughnuts may be a bit rubbery.
- Fill each cup 1/2 to 3/4 full. You can do this with a spoon, but I prefer using a piping bag to fill each cup more evenly and cleanly. It’s important not to overfill, or as the doughnuts rise, you’ll lose the hole. (If you’re making them in the muffin pan, just make a doughnut shape around the edges of the tin. Be careful not to put too much batter of they’ll become a muffin. Not that it doesn’t taste good, it’s just not a doughnut. It’s a doughnut muffin.)
- Bake for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the size of your doughnut pan), until the doughnuts spring back when touched. Let cool slightly on a wire rack before glazing. If coating in powdered sugar, let them cool even a bit more.
- Makes about 15 mini doughnuts. (I used Wilton’s mini doughnut pan and mine made about 26 mini doughnuts and took 5 minutes to bake.)
For the glaze
- In a microwave-proof bowl, combine all ingredients except the vanilla. Melt for 30 seconds and then stir. Keep melting at 15 second intervals, stirring in between each one, until full melted. Add vanilla.
Doughnut Assembly
- Dip each doughnut into the chocolate and let excess drip off. If dipping in sprinkles, dip immediately after dipping in the chocolate. Place on a cooling rack to harden. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe adapted from In Simone’s Kitchen
I really like the idea of baked and not fried.. photos look super = )
This is amazing – I’ve been looking for a baked chocolate donut recipe. And here it is.
Oh my goodness…you are so right…mini doughnuts should be taking over the world! These look amazing! Loved your story about your family too!
Thought I’d let you know that my 1.5 yr old daughter learned a new word from your recipe. She liked the donuts so much she wanted more, came over (I was in the way of the plate) and screamed DONUTS. Yep. She thought they were that good.