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Top-down look at three chocolate cake donuts topped with chocolate glaze, peanut butter drizzle, strawberry slices, butterscotch chips, coconut, and pecans.

Chocolate Cake Donuts

Baked chocolate cake donuts with sour cream and coffee, topped with glazes like chocolate ganache, peanut butter, or strawberry.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

Chocolate Cake Donuts

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 140 grams
  • 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa 45 grams
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar 100 grams
  • 3/4 cup sour cream 170 grams
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 60 grams or 4 tablespoons
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee
  • 1/2 teaspoon espresso

Toppings and Glazes

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup, honey or golden syrup
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 15 grams
  • 5 ounces semisweet chocolate 140 grams
  • 2 cups powdered sugar 200 grams
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons milk
  • 1 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, optional
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 200 grams
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons milk
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 200 grams
  • 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberries 1.2 ounce pkg
  • 3 to 5 tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1/4 cup coconut, sweetened
  • 1/4 cup mini or regular size chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup toasted pecans
  • Powdered Sugar Glaze above
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons instant coffee
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • My caramel: https://pastrieslikeapro.com/caramel-building-block-pastry/
  • OR
  • 24 to 30 Werther caramels
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Specialty Donut Variations

Assembly Using the Plain Powdered Sugar Glaze

Instructions
 

Chocolate Cake Donuts

  • Preheat Oven and Prep Pans:

    Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly mist two 6-well donut or muffin pans with non-stick spray. Put aside.

  • Sift Dry Ingredients:

    Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl.

  • Sift Cocoa on Top:

    Sift cocoa on top of the flour mixture. Press any lumps through the sieve with a spoon.

  • Mix in Brown Sugar:

    Add brown sugar to the dry ingredients and use a paddle attachment to mix until blended.

  • Combine Wet Ingredients:

    Stir coffee into vanilla and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter, sour cream, and the vanilla-coffee mixture. Pour this over the dry ingredients.

  • Mix Batter Thoroughly:

    Mix on low speed until combined (batter will be very thick). Increase to high and mix thoroughly, scraping down the bowl as needed.

  • Pipe Batter into Wells:

    Fit a piping bag with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Fill wells 2/3 full with batter, smoothing tops flat and to edges. Alternatively, fill a doubled plastic bag, snip off 1/2 inch from a corner, and pipe batter into cups.

  • Bake and Test Doneness:

    Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Test at 10 minutes with a cake tester (should come out clean) or press the center of a donut to check for spring-back. Do not overbake. Cool on wire racks.

Toppings and Glazes

  • Make Chocolate Ganache:

    Chocolate Ganache: Combine all ganache ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl or in a bowl over simmering water. Microwave 1 to 2 minutes until chocolate begins to melt, then stir. If needed, microwave a bit more to fully melt. Over simmering water, heating takes longer. Cool to warm before using.

  • Make Powdered Sugar Glaze:

    Powdered Sugar Glaze: Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Gradually add milk, stirring until a thick glaze forms. If too thin, it will run off and be hard to apply.

  • Make Peanut Butter Glaze:

    Peanut Butter Glaze: Mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and the smallest amount of milk. Stir, then add more milk to achieve a thick glaze.

  • Make Strawberry Glaze:

    Strawberry Glaze: Put powdered sugar and freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor. Process until strawberries are powdered and sugar turns pink. Scrape down sides and process again. Cover the feed tube with your hand or plunger to prevent powder from escaping. Transfer to a bowl and add milk gradually to make a thick mixture.

  • Make Mocha Glaze:

    Mocha Glaze: Combine water and instant coffee; let sit a few minutes, then stir to dissolve crystals. Add to Powdered Sugar Glaze. If too thin, add more powdered sugar a little at a time.

  • Prepare Hello Dollie Topping:

    Hello Dollie Topping: Finely chop butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, and pecans. Mix with coconut.

Specialty Donut Variations

  • Dip Base Chocolate Donut:

    Base Chocolate Donut: dip in chocolate ganache and leave plain. Chocolate Coconut: omit coffee and vanilla from batter; add 1 teaspoon coconut extract. Add 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract to chocolate glaze. Top with sweetened shredded coconut. Peppermint: omit coffee and vanilla; add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract to batter and 1/2 teaspoon to glaze. Top with Andes pieces or crushed starlight mints. Mexican: add 2 teaspoons cinnamon to batter. Top with small cinnamon chips (chop larger chips like Hershey's). Turtle: dip in caramel and top with finely chopped toasted pecans. Mocha: add 2 teaspoons instant coffee to batter and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon to glaze. English Toffee Bits or Brickle: sprinkle on top of chocolate ganache. Nonpareils or sprinkles: sprinkle on top of chocolate ganache.

Assembly Using the Plain Powdered Sugar Glaze

  • Apply Hello Dollie Topping:

    Hello Dollie Donut: after dipping, immediately apply the Hello Dollie topping mix to the top.

  • Dip in Strawberry Glaze:

    Strawberry: dip donut in strawberry glaze; let dry.

  • Dip in Mocha Glaze:

    Mocha: dip donut in mocha glaze; let dry.

  • Dip in Peanut Butter Glaze:

    Peanut Butter: dip donut in peanut butter glaze; let dry. Optionally top with finely chopped honey roasted peanuts.
Keyword baked donuts, chocolate cake donuts, chocolate donuts, easy donuts, homemade donuts