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This old fashioned cake donut recipe creates cake donuts that are crispy on the outside and give way to a perfectly soft and cakey center, making these an amazing breakfast treat! We grew up eating these and they’ll always be a treasured family favorite.
Oh my word, you guys. I know that I gave myself the title of donut (doughnut?) queen, but really, the title goes to my grandma. I’m just the donut princess.
My grandma created the best dang cake donut recipe ever and I’ve been dying to share it with you. Anytime I make these, I get shot straight back to my childhood.
Visiting my grandma on vacation, waiting impatiently for her to fry up these unbelievable donuts, and then eating them until I’d make myself sick. She would often serve the donuts plain, straight from the fryer.
I prefer them tossed in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, but powdered sugar or a glaze works great as well.
What Readers are Saying!
“Very simple but great tasting recipe. I drained the donuts on racks that were placed in paper towel lined cookie sheets.” – Mary
These are cake donuts, which means there is no waiting on yeast to do it’s thing.
Instead, the donuts have baking powder in them to help them rise.
You’ll love these donuts. I’m telling you – better than bakery donuts, by far!
How to make fried cake donuts:
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Use a stand mixer with a dough hook to beat together butter, sugar, and egg.
In a separate bowl, combine your flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt.
Knead the dough for a couple of minutes until it is workable. If it is too sticky still, you can add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it is workable.
Roll the dough out on a floured surface trying to make it a consistent thickness about 1/4″ thick. Use a donut cutter to cut the donuts.
Add the donuts to a pot of oil that is 375 degrees F. Add in as many as will fit without crowding the pan. Fry until golden which should take about 2 minutes on each side at the recommended temp.
When you remove the donut from the fryer, drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Toss each donut on a plate with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar that uses 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Coat both sides. Alternately, place the cinnamon and sugar in a brown paper bag and shake the donuts to coat.
Helpful Tip!
Invest in a thermometer!
I know many people don’t like to fry, so here are my best tips. Invest in a thermometer! They cost about five dollars and are worth every penny.
You want to keep your oil at a consistent temperature so that your donuts don’t get too greasy. Greasy donuts means your oil isn’t hot enough! 375 degrees is perfect for these donuts.
Leftover grease ideas:
After you’ve fried the donuts, you can keep the oil covered for a week or two and use it for frying other foods.
We try to use oil that fried sweet foods for frying other sweet foods, and oil that fried savory foods for other savory foods.
Use the leftover oil to test out our biscuit donuts or potato donuts next!
If you don’t think you’ll re-use the oil, just let it cool completely and then use a funnel to pour it right back into your empty oil container or an empty milk jug. I try to keep a few empty milk jugs under my kitchen sink or in my pantry for used up oil.
Close the jug up tight and then toss it in your garbage can on garbage day. It’s a pretty simple way to deal with all that leftover oil!
The BEST Cake Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3 cups flour more as needed
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Oil for frying
- Cinnamon Sugar mix for coating the donuts 1/2 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, beat together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg.
- In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients.
- Alternate adding the milk and flour mixture until everything is well combined. Knead for just a couple of minutes. If the dough is too sticky to roll out, add more flour until it's workable, 1-2 tablespoons at a time.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick. Use a donut cutter to cut donuts.
- Add to a pot of 375 degree oil, just a few donuts at a time so as not to crowd the pan, and fry until golden, about 2 minutes each side.
- Drain on a paper towel lined plate before tossing in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was originally published in February 2014. It was updated in February 2021.
Deanna says
Hi! How much oil is needed?
Deborah O'Reilly says
This is the first donut recipe that worked for me. I’ve tried a few times in my life and they were a disaster so I quit trying. I found this recipe on accident and I’m glad I did because they turned out fantastic, so delicious!!! They were easy, what I call stupid easy.. I drained then on a cooling rack, below it I put a newspaper lined cookie sheet. They turned out crispy on the outside soft inside. Thank you so much for sharing.
Karly says
So glad you gave them a try!
Mamie Freeze says
Great recipe a soft crunch and tender inside.
Karly says
Thanks!
Ria says
Hi Karly! Excited to try this recipe! If I were to make these into chocolate donuts, how much cocoa do you think I should add without messing up the texture? Thanks!
Karly says
Hi Ria! I’m not sure…I’ve never tried making these chocolate. I usually sub out an equal amount of flour for the coca powder. For these, I’d test at 2 1/2 cups flour + 1/2 cup cocoa powder, but no guarantees that ratio will work. 🙂
Becca says
I just tried this as chocolate donuts using this amount. Came out pretty good. I upped the salt to a scant tsp and omitted the nutmeg and cinnamon. I used the glaze from your baked chocolate donuts recipe. Wonderful, but could probably use more testing than my waistline can handle. Maybe more chocolate, or espresso powder or something. The dough is so wonderful to work with though. Love it!
Karly says
I can so related to the ‘more testing than my waistline can handle’ struggle. Ha! One day I will work on a chocolate version of these, I just haven’t got there yet. 🙂
Heidi Bilik says
Easy and good crispy outside but I thought they were a little dry, like I need a cup of tea with them
Mary says
Very simple but great tasting recipe. I drained the donuts on racks that were placed in paper towel lined cookie sheets.
Karly says
So glad you gave them a try, Mary!
Joanne Jordan says
I LOVE this recipe! The donuts are perfect:) I like to add a bit of extra cinnamon and nutmeg, because I love the flavor of those spices, and they turn out incredible every single time!
Karly says
So glad to hear that! 🙂
Elizabeth Gerkin says
After a few attempts for good cake donuts like Mom made, this one is the very best. Takes me right back to Mom’s kitchen.
Karly says
Love that! 🙂
Meka says
Perfect! Mixed together in a flash rolled out nicely, and didn’t fall apart like another recipe did (the on in the search results above this one. My boy is happy, thanks! I’m adding this to my collection.
wanda m says
it was a very easy recipie to do, and very yummy
Cathy says
First time making doughnuts and these were just what I wanted, although mine turned out a bit more brown so maybe my oil should be less than 375. I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup since I didn’t want it sweet, so it was perfect. Made my own chocolate glaze and it worked well with these doughnuts. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Definitely making this again.
Alicia says
Just made these and they are PERFECTION!
Karly says
Ah, love to hear that! Thanks, Alicia!
Larry Mcdermott says
Is there a substitute for buttermilk for this recipe?
Karly says
You can make buttermilk by adding a bit of vinegar or lemon juice to milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes. 🙂
Devon Curtis says
While searching for donut recipes, I came across your page….I now feel as though I’m crossing the line of becoming a stalker because I’m on your site multiple times a day! (it’s been less than a week and I’ve already made multiple recipes from here…all are amazing!)
My daughter and I have made this donut recipe THREE TIMES THIS WEEK!!!! It’s a for sure winner!! One of my favorite memories from being a kid was when my mom made homemade donuts, and these remind me of hers so much, and I’m so glad to be making the same memory with my own daughter. She’s 14 and loves to be in the kitchen with me!
So, thank you for your witty, sarcastic and fun attitude that is bringing me back here throughout the day! I look forward to trying more recipes!! 🙂
Karly says
I love stalkers, so I’m glad you’re here Devon!! And I love that I could bring back some mama memories…that’s the best. <3
D says
An easy way to make these is to just drop the dough by the teaspoonful into the oil. Nice little bites, great for when you just need a bite or two — or three! You can also pat out the dough and cut into rectangles, making doughnut sticks that are easier to dunk in coffee or milk. These are also good glazed, try plain, or maple, or chocolate. We have always preferred these to raised doughnuts. They are just a lot more satisfying.