Cinnamon Cake Donuts with Cinnamon Glaze

This fried cinnamon cake donut recipe results in donuts that are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy in the middle. The donuts are glazed with a simple cinnamon glaze after frying. These are a nice change to the traditional old-fashioned cake donut. 

My husband and I are in the middle of a very necessary clean eating detox. And I didn’t even have to force it on him! He even kind of suggested it. My refrigerator and stomach has been filled with more fresh fruit and veggies than I know what to do with. AND there is no chocolate in sight. GASP!

To be honest with you, I love all that stuff. And with as much butter and sugar as I eat, I like to reboot a few times a year. But I’m sitting here at the computer with a bright green smoothie in front of me  and staring at pictures of these donuts that I made before Thanksgiving when we weren’t eating so cleanly. Donuts that are filled with cinnamon and fried and then dunked in a cinnamon glaze and I’m telling you, even though this smoothie is delicious, this is self inflicted torture. Take my advice. Don’t be a baking food blogger whilst only allowing yourself to eat clean foods. Because if I’m being 100% honest, there is now about a 95% chance I will eat a donut today…

Especially after staring at this picture of donuts taking a nice hot bubble bath…

I basically love all donuts. I’m not too picky about it, though I was as a child when I would only eat powdered sugar cake donuts. But what I love about making cake donuts at home is that they don’t involve yeast and therefore don’t need any rising time. When you are waiting for hot fresh donuts to be in your mouth, waiting for dough to rise takes waaaay too much patience that I rarely have.

I used my basic cake donut recipe for these adding a whole mess of cinnamon to it. Your house will smell insanely good while these are frying. I think hot cinnamon and freshly brewed coffee may be my most favorite smells in the world. (Note to self: Make a cinnamon espresso donut). I opted for glazing these in a cinnamon glaze though I went back and forth with the idea of also tossing them in the standard cinnamon sugar coating. The glaze won out because, well, it just did.

I love how these develop a crispy crust on the outside when fried but maintain the fluffy cakey middle. And that cinnamon glaze… There really isn’t much else in the world to live for. Let’s be honest.

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Yield: 10-12 Donuts

Cinnamon Cake Donuts with Cinnamon Glaze

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

This fried cinnamon cake donut recipe results in donuts that are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy in the middle. The donuts are glazed with a simple cinnamon glaze after frying. These are a nice change to the traditional old-fashioned cake donut. 

Ingredients

For the glaze

• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar

For the donuts

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 TBSP ground cinnamon
• large pinch of freshly ground nutmeg (optional but recommended, you can also use pre-ground)
• 1 TBSP baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
• oil for frying

Instructions

For the Cinnamon Glaze

1. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. If the mixture is too thick add a bit more milk. If it is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.

For the Donuts

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Set aside
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with your hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed until thick and a pale yellow. This will take 3-5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
3. Combine the milk with the melted butter.
4. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture (in three additions), with the milk and melted butter (in two additions), beginning and ending with the flour.
5. The dough at this point will look more like a batter and be quite soft. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. The flour will absorb more liquid and the fat will firm up making it easier to roll out.
6. Once the dough is firm enough to roll, place the dough on a floured surface, and with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thick.
7. Cut the dough using a donut cutter or a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Cut out smaller holes in then center of each piece. Place the donuts on a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
8. Meanwhile heat about 2 inches of frying oil (canola, vegetable, or peanut) in a heavy bottom pan to 375F. Set up a cooling rack over a sheet pan for the donuts to drain on.
9. Gently slide the donuts into the hot oil, only a few at a time. Fry each side until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Carefully remove the donuts from the hot fat with tongs or a slotted spoon. Place on the cooling rack to drain over a sheet pan.
10. Place each donut, that has cooled slightly, into the glaze, turning to coat. Allow the glaze to set for several minutes before serving.