Easy Cake Mix Donuts

Soft, delicious, bouncy cake mix donuts are baked and cooled then dipped in a sweet, smooth, vanilla glaze and topped with colorful crunchy sprinkles. 

There’s nothing better than homemade donuts and this recipe is no exception. These mini donut cakes make perfect individual birthday party treats and feed a large group at kids’ parties.

ingredients

All you need is a donut pan, cake mix, and a few simple ingredients for this recipe.

Donuts

• 1 box cake mix– I used yellow cake mix
• ¾ c milk– whole or half fat milk work well
• 1 egg + 1 yolk– makes the donuts fluffy
• ¼ c vegetable oil– adds density to donuts
• 1 Tbs melted shortening– prevents donuts from sticking to pan
• ½ tsp vanilla– adds extra flavor to the mix

Frosting

• 3 c powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4-5 Tbs heavy cream
• sprinkles– use your favorite sprinkles

instructions

how to make donuts from cake mix

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a medium sized donut pan with baking spray. 
2. To make the donuts, whisk together all of the donut ingredients in a medium sized bowl until smooth.
3. Spoon the batter into a piping bag then cut the tip off to allow the donut batter to be piped out. Fill each donut reservoir about half full with batter.
4. Place the pan into the oven to bake for 9-12 minutes or until the donuts are golden and baked through. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and carefully flip the donuts out of the pan onto a parchment lined cooling rack. Fill the donut pan with batter and bake. Continue baking the donuts until all of the batter has been used. 

easy donut frosting instructions

1. Once the donuts have cooled, make the frosting. Place all of the ingredients into a small mixing bowl.
2. Whisk together well until a smooth frosting has formed. Carefully dip each donut halfway into the frosting.
3. Pull each donut up out of the glaze and let the excess drip off of each donut. Place the donuts back onto the parchment lined cooling rack. Top the donuts with sprinkles. Let set for a few minutes to allow the frosting to set up before serving. 

FAQ

how to store leftover donuts

Donuts may be stored in an airtight container or baggie at room temp for up to 3 days. 

• Substitutions
  • Melted shortening – Vegetable oil may be used instead. 
  • Heavy cream – Half and half or milk may be used instead. 
  • Frosting– If in a time crunch, store bought frosting works well for these donuts.
  • Cake Mix- Use chocolate, strawberry, or your favorite flavor/brand of cake mix!

tips

• Once the donut mix has come together, do not over mix as it will cause the gluten to over develop creating rubbery donuts. 
• If the frosting is too thick, simply whisk in 1 tsp heavy cream or milk until the frosting has reached the desired consistency. If the frosting becomes too thin, whisk in 1-2 Tbs powdered sugar. In either case, be sure to whisk well after each addition. 

what to serve with donuts

These fluffy donuts are best served with milk, coffee, tea, or ice cream.