Traditional donuts fried in oil are too difficult to make, so you should definitely try making this Cake Mix Donut Recipe. It’s so easy to make donuts with cake mix, and they turn out fresh, warm donuts that have the fluffy, moist texture of cake.
What are Cake Mix Donuts?
Our baked cake mix donuts are a shortcut method of making classic donuts. There is cake mix added to the recipe, but they’re not made entirely with cake mix. You probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry already. It’s a semi-homemade cake donut recipe, and they’re amazing tasting donuts. This is a great project to do with your kids! If you enjoy baked donuts, you might also enjoy our pumpkin baked donuts!
Do you need a donut pan to make Cake Mix Donuts?
Yes! Since donuts have a hole in the middle of them, you need a donut pan that replicates the donut shape. I use this donut pan. It comes in a pack of two, and it’s offered at a good price! We also have a donut recipe for Air Fryer Canned Biscuit Donuts that does not use a donut pan at all.
Ingredients Needed for Making Cake Mix Donuts:
- flour : Since this is a semi-homemade baked cake mix donut recipe, you’ll need all purpose flour for the recipe too.
- cake mix: For this recipe, we use Funfetti cake mix. You can certainly use any kind of cake mix. I would recommend using white or yellow with this recipe since it has the added flour.
- sugar: We use white granulated sugar.
- baking powder and salt
- milk: Any kind of milk can be used for this recipe (milk, cream, almond milk, etc).
- eggs: We use large eggs.
- vanilla extract: I like to use a good brand of (real) vanilla extract for the most flavor.
- butter: We use unsalted butter for this recipe.
- toppings (optional): Since ours is a Funfetti recipe, we used rainbow sprinkles. Feel free to get creative with your toppings, or you can choose to make donuts with frosting only and no toppings.
How to make Cake Mix Donuts:
Preheat your oven, and spray the donut pans with nonstick spray.
For the donut batter, you’ll whisk together the dry ingredients and then mix in the wet ingredients. If using sprinkles, you’ll mix those in too.
It’s easiest to put the donut batter in a large zip baggie and then snip the corner. This gives you an easy way to drizzle the donut batter into the donut cavities in the pan without making a mess. Don’t fill the batter to the top. Fill them 1/2 to 3/4 full, giving the donuts room to grow as they bake.
Substitutions and Add-Ins:
- Try using different flavors of cake mix.
- More fun toppings for donuts include mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, chocolate sprinkles and more!
- Try making mini donuts instead of regular-sized donuts. You’ll just need a mini donut pan!
Frosting for Cake Mix Donuts:
The Easy-Peasy Short-cut Method:
Buy a can of store-bought frosting, scrape it into a bowl and microwave it until it’s melted. Then you can dip the donuts in that frosting and let them cool on a rack.
The Homemade Frosting Method:
We prefer to make homemade frosting for our cake mix donut recipe. I’ve included instructions in the recipe below for how to make a quick and easy vanilla glaze or chocolate glaze. You can also dip the donuts in those glazes and let them cool on a rack.
How to store Cake Mix Donuts:
They’re best when eaten the day that they’re made, but you can keep these donuts in an airtight container for up to two days. Freezing is an option as well. Freeze the donuts UNFROSTED in an airtight container for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, defrost and then frost them before serving.
What We Love About This Recipe:
- They are baked donuts instead of fried donuts, so there is less fat in these donuts!
- It’s a quick and easy recipe that the whole family enjoys.
- I love that it’s easy to change things up and make different flavors of donuts, frosting and toppings.
Cake Mix Donuts
Ingredients
DOUGHNUTS:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup Funfetti Cake Mix
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ tablespoons sprinkles
VANILLA GLAZE:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (add a little at a time)
CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water (add a little at a time)
Sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the donuts: Preheat the oven to 325℉. Lightly spray a doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix flour, cake mix, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Mix until well combined. Stir in the sprinkles. Scrape the batter into a large zip bag, snip the corner and squeeze the batter into the doughnut shapes in the pan- only filling ½ to ¾-full. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the doughnuts spring back when touched. Cool the doughnuts completely before adding the icing.
- Prepare the glaze: Each of the glaze recipes listed will ice 12 doughnuts, so if you'd rather have all vanilla or all chocolate- you'll need to double the recipe for that. To prepare the vanilla glaze, use a whisk to combine the powdered sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Whisk in just enough milk to create a nice dipping consistency. For the chocolate glaze- same thing- add just enough hot water to create a nice dipping consistency. Dip the doughnuts into the glaze and then place them on a wire rack to set the glaze. Add more sprinkles on top.
Sara*
Wednesday 12th of September 2012
Sounds like an awesome recipe. Is it possible to use different type of cake mix with this recipe. Likr
recipeboy
Sunday 16th of September 2012
Probably, but I haven't tried it.
Catalina @ Cake with Love
Sunday 15th of April 2012
Love all the sprinkles and the chocolate!
Aunt Susie
Saturday 14th of April 2012
It was fun watching you make these donuts and now seeing your great post. Keep up the good work!
RecipeBoy's Grandma
Friday 13th of April 2012
This looks yummy but forbidding! Eat them up fast! Bet you enjoyed them for a short time.
Lauren
Friday 13th of April 2012
I've never said no to a doughnut! {Especially one dipped in chocolate!} Mmmm!