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.
Servings: 12 donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 134 grams
- ⅔ cup sour cream 160 grams
- ⅓ cup sourdough discard 76 grams
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon vegetable 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 ground nutmeg
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup optional
- pinch salt
Chocolate Donut Glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup optional
- pinch salt
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
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
Use nutmeg for classic flavor: A small amount of nutmeg gives these donuts that signature bakery-style taste. It’s subtle, but it makes a difference.
Freshly grated nutmeg is best: If you have whole nutmeg, use a microplane to grate it fresh. The flavor is noticeably stronger and more fragrant than pre-ground.
Don’t overmix the batter: It’s okay if the batter looks a little lumpy. Mixing until completely smooth can make the donuts tough instead of tender.
Use a piping bag for easy filling: Transferring the batter to a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off) makes it much easier to fill the donut pan neatly and evenly.
Grease the pan well: Even with nonstick pans, these donuts can stick if not properly greased. Use a baking spray that includes flour, or lightly butter and flour the wells.
Let them cool before glazing: Make sure the donuts are fully cooled before adding glaze.
Best the day they're baked: These donuts are at their softest and most tender the day you bake them, but they’ll keep for 2–3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezing tip: You can freeze unglazed donuts. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a bag. Thaw at room temp and glaze just before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 276mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g
