Chocolate Cake Donut Recipe

This post was updated on January 16, 2020 by Jesseca

This chocolate cake donut recipe gives you a soft and moist treat! Dipped in a chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate sprinkles – this is the perfect baked chocolate donut.

It is well known around my family that I am not much of a chocolate fan. I would much rather reach for something packed with citrus or maybe even a slice of cheesecake. There are, however, two exceptions to this no-chocolate rule:

1. Brownies
2. Chocolate Dunford Donuts

Since I already have several versions of brownies that I am in love with, I figured it was time I tried my hand at a copycat donut.  These easy donuts are light and rich flavor. When dipped in a homemade chocolate ganache they are irresistible.

Dunkin Donuts Copycat Chocolate Cake Donuts

My seven year old declared these the greatest donuts in all of the land! Disclaimer? He loves anything chocolate and has a hard time staying objective, but I have to agree. This is the perfect baked donut recipe.

Chocolate Cake Donut Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Dark cocoa powder
• Brown sugar
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Eggs
• Buttermilk
• Vanilla
• Butter
• Chocolate Chips

How to make baked chocolate cake donuts:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist two donut pans with cooking spray and set aside for later use.
2. Stir together the flour. cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter in a large measuring cup. Pour into your dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Spoon your batter into a large Ziploc. Cut the corner with scissors and pipe into your prepared pans until 1/2 full. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. For the glaze combine the chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup, and water in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between sessions, until melted. Dip your donuts and sprinkle with chocolate jimmies.

I decided to go with the baked chocolate donut vs fried. This variety is more cake like and perfect for our morning treat. We dipped them in a sweet chocolate ganache that was the absolute perfect finishing touch.

How to make chocolate donut glaze:

1. Add chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup, and water in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Heat until the chips are melted and the glaze is smooth.
3. Dip your donuts and let them set until firm.

Helpful tools for this recipe:

Baking donuts is a quick and easy if you have the right tools. Here are a few items we suggest using while making this recipe:

• Donut pan– If you want that classic donut shape you will want to use a donut pan. We like this one. It is non stick and comes in a set of two which is ideal for this recipe that makes half a dozen donuts! 
• Zip top bags- You can always spoon the batter into the prepared pans, but a zip top bag makes it much easier. We use a gallon size, fill with batter, and snip the corner. From there you can easily pipe the batter into the round circles of the donut pan. 

• Copycat Krispy Kreme Donuts
• Apple Cider Donuts
• Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Chocolate Cake Donuts

Yield: 12 donuts

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

This chocolate cake donut recipe gives you a soft and moist treat! Dipped in a chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate sprinkles - this is the perfect baked chocolate donut.

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Ingredients

For the Donut:

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup dark cocoa powder
• 1-1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

For the Glaze:

• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons water

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist two donut pans with cooking spray and set aside for later use.

2. Stir together the flour. cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter in a large measuring cup. Pour into your dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

4. Spoon your batter into a large Ziploc. Cut the corner with scissors and pipe into your prepared pans until 1/2 full. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

5. For the glaze combine the chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup, and water in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between sessions, until melted. Dip your donuts and sprinkle with chocolate jimmies.

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