This Donut Cake Recipe combines the sweet flavor of classic donuts with a soft, moist cake texture. An easy dessert topped with glaze and sprinkles for a fun bakery-style treat at home.
This donut cake has all the sweet, nostalgic flavor of your favorite bakery donut baked into a soft, moist cake. Finished with a rich glaze and colorful sprinkles, itโs a fun dessert that looks just as good as it tastes.
Each bite of this cake recipe tastes like a classic cake donut. It is soft and fluffy with the perfect texture. The pretty pink icing has the perfect amount of sweetness. You can easily change the color for any occasion.
If you love a bundt cake recipe, also try Blueberry Bundt Cake and Banana Bundt Cake for more yummy desserts.
For more delicious donut flavor, try Glazed Donut Recipe.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Tastes like a bakery donut: Sweet vanilla flavor with a soft cake texture and classic glaze.
- Fun twist on dessert: Combines two favorite treats into one easy recipe.
- Simple ingredients: Made with pantry staples you likely already have at home.
- Great for celebrations: A fun dessert for birthdays, brunches, and gatherings.
- Easy to customize: Add sprinkles, chocolate drizzle, or different glaze flavors.
- Soft and moist: Every slice stays tender and flavorful.
Ingredients
Cake
- Butter: Use softened butter at room temperature so it blends smoothly into the batter and creates a soft, rich texture.
- Large eggs: Room temperature eggs mix more evenly into the batter, helping create a smoother texture and even bake.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the cake a warm, classic bakery-style flavor.
- Cake flour: Makes the cake lighter, fluffier, and more tender than using all-purpose flour.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and richness while helping create a soft, tender crumb.
Glaze
- Powdered sugar: Creates a smooth, sweet glaze. If the sugar looks lumpy, sift it first for the best texture.
- Heavy cream: Makes the glaze extra rich, creamy, and smooth with a bakery-style finish.
- Food coloring and sprinkles: Optional, but they add a fun pop of color and make the cake feel more festive and decorative.
Find the complete list of ingredients at the bottom of the page.
Variations
- Citrus flavor: Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the glaze for a bright citrus twist that pairs perfectly with the sweet cake.
- Different sprinkles: Use seasonal or themed sprinkles for birthdays, holidays, baby showers, and celebrations.
- Chocolate glaze: Swap part of the glaze with melted chocolate or drizzle chocolate over the top for a richer dessert.
- Maple glaze: Add a splash of maple extract to the glaze for a warm bakery-style flavor.
- Cinnamon sugar topping: Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the glaze for a classic donut-shop taste.
- Mini donut cakes: Bake the batter in mini bundt pans or donut pans for individual servings.
- Almond flavor: Replace a little vanilla extract with almond extract for a richer flavor variation.
- Berry topping: Add fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries on top for extra sweetness and color.
Step By Step Instructions
- Step 1. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
- Step 2. Get your bundt pan ready by coating in butter and dusting with flour. Make sure to get all the nooks and crannies so the cake does not stick. You can also use non stick baking spray.
Step 3. Get out a large bowl. I like to use the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Then beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy on medium high speed. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time until blended together.
Step 4. After you have added the eggs, mix in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Then alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter and sugar mixture. Continue this process until all the ingredients are combined.
Step 5. Once combined, pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
Step 6. Bake the cake for 42-48 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Oven times vary so it’s important to keep a close eye on the cake. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Carefully flip the cake out of the pan on a serving plate or platter.
Step 7. Make the glaze while the cake cools. Use a small mixing bowl and whisk together the powdered sugar and heavy cream. Start with 4 tablespoons and add more tablespoons until the glaze is your desired consistency. If you are using food coloring, mix that in now.
Step 8. Lastly, pour the glaze over the cooled cake. Top with sprinkles and enjoy.
Storage
Room temperature: Store the donut cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Keep covered: This helps keep the cake soft and prevents it from drying out.
Freezing: Freeze the unfrosted cake tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before glazing and serving.
Pro Tips
- Cool before glazing: Make sure the cake is completely cooled before adding the glaze so it doesnโt melt or slide off the cake.
- Remove the cake carefully: Place a serving plate or platter over the pan, then carefully flip it upside down. Gently jiggle or tap the pan until the cake releases.
- Use buttermilk: The buttermilk adds richness, moisture, and a slight tang that gives the cake its classic bakery-style flavor. Regular milk will not give the same texture.
- Grease the pan well: Thoroughly coat the pan with nonstick spray or butter and flour to help prevent sticking and make removal easier.
- Donโt overmix the batter: Mix just until combined to keep the cake soft and tender. Overmixing can create a dense texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients: Butter, eggs, and buttermilk blend together more smoothly and help create an even texture.
- Add glaze slowly: Pour the glaze gradually over the cake for a prettier finish and better coverage.
- Let the glaze set: Allow the glaze to sit for several minutes before slicing so it can firm up slightly.
More Donut Recipes
Bake this giant Donut Cake and bring that bakery-style flavor right into your kitchen! Itโs soft, sweet, and finished with a simple glaze that makes every slice feel special. Donโt forget to leave a review and star rating to share how it turned out!
Donut Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup Butter softened at room temperature (2 sticks)
- 4 Large Eggs room temperature
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 3 Cups Cake Flour
- 3 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
For the Glaze:
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 4-6 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
- Food coloring and Sprinkles Optional
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare a bundt pan by coating in butter and dusting with flour. Make sure to get all the nooks and crannies so the cake does not stick.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy on medium speed.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time until blended together.
- Once the eggs have been combined, mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter and sugar mixture. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl in between each addition. Continue this process until all the ingredients are combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
- Bake for 42-48 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Carefully flip the cake out of the pan on a serving plate or platter.
- While the cake is cooling, make the glaze.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and heavy cream. Start with 4 tablespoons and add more tablespoons until the glaze is your desired consistency.
- If you plan to add food coloring, go ahead and mix that in at this time.
- Finally, pour the glaze over the cooled cake. Top with sprinkles if desired. Serve and enjoy!
So yummy and really easy to make.