Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4cups/960 milliliters vegetable oil, for frying, plus 3 tablespoons
- 2⅔cups/339 grams all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- ½cup/101 grams granulated sugar
- 2¼teaspoons baking powder
- ¾teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½cup/113 grams sour cream
- ½cup/120 milliliters buttermilk
- 1large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 2cups/204 grams confectioners’ sugar
- ¼cup/60 milliliters buttermilk, milk or water, plus more as needed
- ¼teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛teaspoon kosher salt
- Sprinkles, toasted coconut flakes or chopped nuts, such as pecans, pistachios or hazelnuts
- 1½cups/185 grams confectioners’ sugar
- ½cup/47 grams cocoa powder
- ¼cup/60 milliliters buttermilk, milk or water, plus more as needed
- ⅛teaspoon kosher salt
- Sprinkles, toasted coconut flakes, flaky salt or chopped nuts, such as pecans, pistachios or hazelnuts
For the Doughnuts
For the Vanilla Glaze
For the Chocolate Glaze
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
717 calories; 31 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 20 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 106 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 69 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 401 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the doughnuts: Heat 4 cups/960 milliliters of oil in a large heavy bottomed pot (preferably wider than taller) over medium heat to 375 degrees.
- Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, kosher salt and nutmeg.
- Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, buttermilk, egg, egg yolk and 3 tablespoons oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, using a wooden spoon to gently mix just until a dough comes together (you want to keep it rather shaggy; do not overwork the dough).
- Step 4
Transfer dough to a floured work surface and knead 4 or 5 times, just until no wet or dry spots remain, sprinkling in additional flour as necessary (dough should feel supple but not wet).
- Step 5
Pat dough (no need to use a rolling pin here) to a thickness of about ¾-inch. Using a 3⅛- to 3¼-inch ring cutter, punch out as many circles as you can. Using a 1 ¼-inch ring cutter, punch out the center of each circle. (Dipping the rings in flour before each cut helps to avoid sticking.) The scraps of dough can be gathered and gently pressed again two more times to cut the rest of the doughnuts, continuing to flour your work surface as needed.
- Step 6
Working in batches, gently lower doughnuts into the oil (no more than 4 or 5 at a time). Fry on one side until deeply golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip with tongs or a skimmer and continue to fry until golden brown and cooked through, another 2 minutes.
- Step 7
Drain doughnuts on a wire rack lined with paper towels and proceed with remaining doughnuts, making sure the oil returns to temperature between batches.
- Step 8
To make the vanilla glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract and salt until no lumps remain. Add additional buttermilk if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin the glaze.
- Step 9
Remove paper towel from wire rack. Dip each doughnut into the glaze on one side, letting excess drip back into the bowl, and return it to the wire rack. Sprinkle immediately with sprinkles, chopped nuts or toasted coconut.
- Step 10
To make the chocolate glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, buttermilk and salt until no lumps remain. Add additional buttermilk if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin the glaze.
- Step 11
Remove paper towel from wire rack. Dip each doughnut into the glaze on one side, letting excess drip back into the bowl, and return it to the wire rack. Sprinkle immediately with sprinkles, flaky sea salt, chopped nuts or toasted coconut.
Private Notes
Comments
This is a great recipe, and I’m making them again. Just thought I’d mention to anyone else who wonders about whether they work as a do-ahead: I mixed up the dough, cut the donuts (and a few holes of course), then laid them out on cookie sheets, wrapped them in plastic, and popped them in the freezer. One week later, I moved them to the fridge the night before, then fried in oil the next morning. I had no complaints from the crowd that devoured them!
Brings back memories and pushes buttons. My bro and sis and I made fries and doughnuts (my late husband called them duff nuts) all the time. Now I’ll have to get a big can of Crisco, or try coconut oil, and drum up an occasion for them. Why use two cutters? Don’t the make concentric cutters any more? And why not fry up some of the “holes”?
Baked (aka “cake”) donuts use a cake-like batter rather than a dough. But you could always make the recipe and try baking 1 or 2 as if they were biscuits, say 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes. If that didn’t work you could always fry up the rest. Would love hear how they come out.
Almost exactly my Grandma’s recipe. Quick, easy, tasty
I substituted Bob’s One to One Gluten-Free flour and these turned out fantastic! I fried them slightly longer than it said but otherwise followed the directions exactly. I used Safflower oil.
An easy cake donut recipe for beginner's... don't be overwhelmed by the amount of steps! I added a tad bit more nutmeg, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I made the chocolate glaze, and also used the maple brown-butter glaze from another NYT recipe for pumpkin bundt cake. The maple glaze was the winner... try it!