Baked Sourdough Cake Donuts
These baked sourdough cake donuts are soft, tender, and fluffy. The sourdough starter improves the texture of the cake donuts and gives them a subtle tangy flavor. Finish them with chocolate glaze, vanilla glaze, or a cinnamon sugar topping. This recipe is a great way to use up a sourdough discard.
Servings: 12 donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup sourdough starter discard
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1-½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-¾ cups all purpose flour (210 grams)
- 1-¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup optional
- pinch of salt
Chocolate Donut Glaze
- ¾ cup confectioners sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup optional
- pinch of salt
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
For the Sourdough Cake Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a donut pan with non-stick baking spray.
- Combine the first eight ingredients in a large mixing bowl (sugar, sour cream, sourdough discard, egg, egg yolk, melted butter, oil, and vanilla).
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg over the bowl and use a wide spatula to fold the batter until just combined.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a food storage bag and cut the corner of the bag. Pipe the batter into each donut form, filling them ⅔ to ¾ full.
- Bake the donuts for 10 to 13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in them comes out clean.
- Remove the donuts from the oven and let them rest in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes then turn them out on a rack to cool completely. Make the toppings while the donuts cool.
Vanilla Glaze
- Combine all the ingredients in a wide shallow dish and whisk until smooth. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time if the glaze is too thick.
- Dip the tops of the donuts in the glaze and transfer to a wire rack. If desired, add sprinkles while the glaze is still wet.
Chocolate Glaze
- Combine all the ingredients for the chocolate glaze in a wide shallow dish and whisk until smooth. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time to get your preferred consistency.
- Dip the tops of the donuts in the chocolate glaze and transfer them to a wire rack until the glaze sets. If desired, dip them in sprinkles while the glaze is still wet.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a wide, shallow dish.
- Dip the tops of donuts in the melted butter then dip them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Notes
- A small amount of nutmeg gives the donuts a classic flavor. It is a subtle flavor that makes them taste like bakery-style donuts.
- If you are using whole nutmeg, use a microplane grater to grate the nutmeg. Freshly ground whole nutmeg will have a stronger flavor than pre-ground nutmeg.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. It is ok if the batter seems a bit lumpy. If you mix it until it is smooth, the donuts will not be as soft and tender.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 276mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g
