If you’ve never tried baked blueberry cake donuts, today is your lucky day. Believe it or not, I was never a huge donut lover growing up. But give me baked blueberry cake donuts? Don’t ask for a bite. When I was a kid, the baked blueberry cake donuts shelf was the only one I looked to during my Dunkin’ D visits growing up. If it was empty, another flavor wouldn’t do. I didn’t even mind the awful film it left in my mouth.
Last week, I was convinced I could make french toast flavored baked donuts inspired by Girl vs. Dough’s French Toast Bagels. I tried brushing them with an egg wash and sprinkling with sugar before baking. They were too reluctant to leave the pan. So I tried dunking already baked donuts in a maple egg mixture, then baked them some more. The flavor was right but the texture was off—much too soggy for a donut. Then I tried pan frying them on a skillet. They tasted like burnt marshmallows and looked like burnt donuts. You’d unfollow me. I know it.
If at first you don’t succeed, you actually don’t have to keep trying. I should have just made Stephanie’s bagels rather than trying to crossbreed them with the finicky nature of baked donuts. But I was convinced I could do it.
I eventually remembered the advice I’d been given many times by my art teachers growing up: “Take a step back. You’re standing too close.” Take a step back, Melissa. You’re too close. (And put your donut pans away.) So I tucked my pans, half-baked idea, and deflated ego away.
And then it hit me like it does when you step away from something and let it breathe. Baked Blueberry Cake Donuts. It’s not an earth-shattering discovery (though it felt like it). It won’t make the news tomorrow. But these baked blueberry cake donuts will make the breakfast table. Again and again and again and again.
Baked Blueberry Cake Donuts
The real highlight of these baked blueberry cake donuts is the consistency of their flavor. The dash of cinnamon and nutmeg add the perfect dash of complexity to complement the classic blueberry flavor. The icing adds just the right touch of crispiness to the outer edge that mimics what you might find in fried cake donuts, but without the added calories (or filmy aftertaste).
Baked not fried, just the way I like my donuts. Skip the fresh blueberries and go for the tiny, wild frozen variety. They yield a consistent blueberry flavor and release from the pan more easily. Don’t fight the batter turning purple. Own it and instagram it.
Ingredients
Scale
1/3 c. + 1 tbsp. whole milk
1 tsp. vinegar
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 c. white whole wheat flour
1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg, fresh
1/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. honey
1 large egg
1/2 c. frozen wild blueberries
Glaze
1 c. powdered sugar
3 tbsp. whole milk
pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix together milk and vinegar. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes to curdle. Melt butter in a small bowl and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, whisk together flours, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside.
Into the cooled butter, whisk in sugar, honey, and egg until evenly combined. Add in curdled milk. (Side note, dip honey measuring utensil in the melted butter first for easy honey removal.)
Stir blueberries into dry ingredients. Then stir together wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Over-mixing will create a dense donut.
Spray donut pan. Add batter to a piping bag and pipe evenly into the pan.
Bake for 7-8 minutes. Allow to cool 1 minute before turning pan over to remove donuts onto a cooling rack.
Meanwhile, make glaze. In a flat-bottomed bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and salt until smooth.Once donuts have cooled, about 10 minutes, glaze both sides. Place on cooling rack and allow to dry, about 20 minutes. Serve. If storing leftovers, remove from cooling rack and store uncovered.
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Hi Cassie! I haven’t tested it with all AP flour. If I had to guess, it might need 1 tablespoon (or a little less) of flour as the wheat flour tends to absorb more than the regular. I’ll give it a whirl one of these days. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
I finally made these and – whoa – they’re amazing! I used Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer because my son has an egg allergy and they came out great! Used a little less honey because I didn’t have enough and less icing… just because. The baking took a little longer for me but I guess not every oven is the same. Anyway, they’re great! Light and delicious, not too sweet. PERFECTION! Will make these again (and again, and again!).
Just made these! About to make the glaze, so haven’t bitten I to one, but they smell amazing (of course I had a lick of the batteries, and that was delicious). I’m pretty sure, without even trying yet, these will be a house fav. Thank you!!
I woke up craving blueberry cake donuts. I hopped onto Pinterest and found your beauties. I only had all purpose flour so I added the tablespoon flour. They were still more like a muffin so after I glazed them and they cooled I popped them in our air fryer for a crispy layer and that was amazing! Next time I am going to try the recipe with the correct flour. Thanks for the recipe!
Good questions! When I was testing the base baked donut recipe (which I use for all my baked donuts), I kept getting really inconsistent results using buttermilk. Super fresh, it’s the consistency of milk, but as it sits in the fridge, it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. So I switched to milk and vinegar for consistent outcomes. The extra tablespoon of milk was needed to loosen up the batter a touch more. Since the yield is so small, a tablespoon made a big difference. Hope this helps!
Good question! I think I’d keep it the same but try to buy tinier blueberries if they are available. There’s a name for them but I can’t remember. I say tiny for even distribution of blueberry flavor.
Hey, Melissa! These look amazing!! Couple of questions: 1. Can i use just whole wheat flour instead of white whole wheat flour? 2. Could i replace the milk with a Soy or Coconut milk?
Hi Mary Katherine! To answer: 1. You can but it will be more dense in texture and acidic in taste. 2. I think so! I’ve never tried so I can’t say for certain. Let me know how they turn out for you!
I haven’t tested it otherwise, but you may want to add an extra tablespoon of flour to get a consistency closer to a baked donut and not a muffin. Let me know if you try!
You can scoop but the donuts won’t be as smooth. The batter is pretty thick. You can always use a ziplock bag and cut a corner. Let me know if any other questions come up!
I found that I quite a bit of dough. Instead of waiting and cooking a few more I over filled my dougnut pan… So no hole to speak of but they seem ok. Next time I’ll wait and cook a few more… I think I easily had enough for 9 doughnuts…. Anybody else find it’s a little over?
The cook time is all wrong. Who wants raw doughnuts? Who ever posted this evidently didn’t test it. If you notice something like this why not post It. 20-25 min. Cook time!
Hey Avi, did you bake in something other than a donut pan? If so, it would definitely need a different bake time. I’ve made this recipe more than a dozen times. They cool really fast in a donut pan.
Hey Kate! A mini muffin pan will work best. Though I’ve never tried, I think a regular muffin tin will work too. The only thing I worry about are the edges cooking way faster than the centers, drying it out a bit.
Blueberry donuts were my favorite growing up too. Not too sweet, no frills. I’m definitely making these so I’ll let you know if I have success modifying them.
Delish… pinning and saving! My kids would die if I make them donuts! They’ve asked before but I always say donuts are beyond my humble baking abilities.
Blueberries are a weakness for me. My family has a summer house in Nova Scotia with a huge blueberry patch out back, and every time I see blueberry desserts I think of picking bluebs from that patch. I’m glad you took a step back, because these donuts look fantastic!
It’s me, Laura Brown. I have been thinking about french toast donuts since you posted yours (and since I gave up sugar, whomp-whomp), thinking that there has to be a way to. . . cut your french toast into a donut shape? Dunk your day old donuts in the egg mixture and fry them up? But those seem more french toast-y than donut-y and anyway, I don’t have a donut pan and I’m in grad school and not really baking (especially since I gave up sugar!). BUT–and maybe you already did this–I just googled it. And there are about a bazillion recipes, which perhaps you have perused, but I thought I would throw it out there. This one looks good and EASY: http://bakingdom.com/2012/09/french-toast-doughnuts.html I am very tempted to hop off the no-sugar wagon, go out and buy myself a donut pan!
Can we use all AP flour, or is the half whole wheat needed? Thanks!
Hi Cassie! I haven’t tested it with all AP flour. If I had to guess, it might need 1 tablespoon (or a little less) of flour as the wheat flour tends to absorb more than the regular. I’ll give it a whirl one of these days. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
I finally made these and – whoa – they’re amazing! I used Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer because my son has an egg allergy and they came out great! Used a little less honey because I didn’t have enough and less icing… just because. The baking took a little longer for me but I guess not every oven is the same. Anyway, they’re great! Light and delicious, not too sweet. PERFECTION! Will make these again (and again, and again!).
★★★★★
I’m so glad the egg replacer worked without a hitch! This makes me so happy to hear!
Just made these! About to make the glaze, so haven’t bitten I to one, but they smell amazing (of course I had a lick of the batteries, and that was delicious). I’m pretty sure, without even trying yet, these will be a house fav. Thank you!!
I woke up craving blueberry cake donuts. I hopped onto Pinterest and found your beauties. I only had all purpose flour so I added the tablespoon flour. They were still more like a muffin so after I glazed them and they cooled I popped them in our air fryer for a crispy layer and that was amazing! Next time I am going to try the recipe with the correct flour. Thanks for the recipe!
Can I use apple cider vinegar?
yes!
I know this is a dumb question, but what is the extra Tablespoon of milk for? Also, Instead of milk and vinegar, could you just use buttermilk?
Good questions! When I was testing the base baked donut recipe (which I use for all my baked donuts), I kept getting really inconsistent results using buttermilk. Super fresh, it’s the consistency of milk, but as it sits in the fridge, it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. So I switched to milk and vinegar for consistent outcomes. The extra tablespoon of milk was needed to loosen up the batter a touch more. Since the yield is so small, a tablespoon made a big difference. Hope this helps!
Looks amazing!! Making donuts tomorrow…may give these a try!! Cheers! Mandy
Was wondering what kind of vinegar you’re using? Wanting to make these soon! Thanks.
I use both apple cider vinegar and white distilled. Hope you love them!
Thank you! I was thinking it was distilled white vinegar. I did make them just now and they’re delicious! Excited to make more of your donut recipes.
These sound amazing! If I were to substitute fresh blueberries for frozen would the amount change or would it stay at 1/2 cup? Thanks!
Good question! I think I’d keep it the same but try to buy tinier blueberries if they are available. There’s a name for them but I can’t remember. I say tiny for even distribution of blueberry flavor.
Hey, Melissa! These look amazing!! Couple of questions:
1. Can i use just whole wheat flour instead of white whole wheat flour?
2. Could i replace the milk with a Soy or Coconut milk?
Can’t wait to bake these!
Hi Mary Katherine! To answer: 1. You can but it will be more dense in texture and acidic in taste. 2. I think so! I’ve never tried so I can’t say for certain. Let me know how they turn out for you!
The recipe calls for both wheat flour and all purpose flour. If I just use all purpose flour will it make a big difference?
I haven’t tested it otherwise, but you may want to add an extra tablespoon of flour to get a consistency closer to a baked donut and not a muffin. Let me know if you try!
Hi! Just wondering – is a piping bag necessary, or could I just scoop the batter into the donut pan?
Thanks!
You can scoop but the donuts won’t be as smooth. The batter is pretty thick. You can always use a ziplock bag and cut a corner. Let me know if any other questions come up!
I found that I quite a bit of dough. Instead of waiting and cooking a few more I over filled my dougnut pan… So no hole to speak of but they seem ok. Next time I’ll wait and cook a few more… I think I easily had enough for 9 doughnuts…. Anybody else find it’s a little over?
The cook time is all wrong. Who wants raw doughnuts? Who ever posted this evidently didn’t test it. If you notice something like this why not post It. 20-25 min. Cook time!
Hey Avi, did you bake in something other than a donut pan? If so, it would definitely need a different bake time. I’ve made this recipe more than a dozen times. They cool really fast in a donut pan.
Made these and they are definitely the best ones to come out of my donut pan! I want to make them again with lemon glaze!
A lemon glaze on these gems is genius! Thanks for the inspiration.
I actually thought they were better the next day… I was scared to leave them uncovered but it was definitely the right move!
Look at that bag full of donut batter!! *jaw drops*
These sound marvelous! I don’t have a donut pan, do you think they would work in a muffin tin? Thanks!
Hey Kate! A mini muffin pan will work best. Though I’ve never tried, I think a regular muffin tin will work too. The only thing I worry about are the edges cooking way faster than the centers, drying it out a bit.
I think its a great idea to take a step back in every aspect of our lives. Great doughnuts!
These look absolutely divine!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Oh yum. I have been dying for a donut lately. This is not helping!!!
Oh yea, blueberry doughnuts are my favorite!
I’m not sure I can think of anything I’d rather have than a warm blueberry doughnut and a cup of coffee on a cold morning. These look so goood!
Mine are in the oven as I write this!! Thank you for sharing this EASY and beautiful recipe. So excited to try them!
Blueberry donuts were my favorite growing up too. Not too sweet, no frills. I’m definitely making these so I’ll let you know if I have success modifying them.
these doughnuts look perfect in the most grounded and honest sense of the word. I really appreciate the ideas and sentiments you share. thank you!
These are gorgeous! Almost to pretty to eat. Almost…
love this recipe! looks amazing
Delish… pinning and saving! My kids would die if I make them donuts! They’ve asked before but I always say donuts are beyond my humble baking abilities.
This post is lovely, Melissa. Your writing is so soothing, I always look forward to reading.
And these doughnuts look delicious!
Blueberries are a weakness for me. My family has a summer house in Nova Scotia with a huge blueberry patch out back, and every time I see blueberry desserts I think of picking bluebs from that patch. I’m glad you took a step back, because these donuts look fantastic!
Oh I love this….glad you took a step back.
Good grief, blueberry cake donuts sound absolutely amazing.
Oh, yum! These are too cute and look so delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Circus & Bloom
♥♥♥
I recently had some uh…difficulties with some recipe testings and had to do the exact same thing- step back and look again.
My family loves making blubbery muffins (who doesn’t??) but I love this this recipe for baked blubbery cake donuts- I’ll be pinning it for later!
-Kelsey
http://www.alittlerosemaryandtime.com
It’s me, Laura Brown. I have been thinking about french toast donuts since you posted yours (and since I gave up sugar, whomp-whomp), thinking that there has to be a way to. . . cut your french toast into a donut shape? Dunk your day old donuts in the egg mixture and fry them up? But those seem more french toast-y than donut-y and anyway, I don’t have a donut pan and I’m in grad school and not really baking (especially since I gave up sugar!). BUT–and maybe you already did this–I just googled it. And there are about a bazillion recipes, which perhaps you have perused, but I thought I would throw it out there. This one looks good and EASY: http://bakingdom.com/2012/09/french-toast-doughnuts.html
I am very tempted to hop off the no-sugar wagon, go out and buy myself a donut pan!
These sound like my dream donut. And that last shot of Hallie makes them beyond perfection. I love it. Happy weekend to you, Melissa!
These are so pretty and so, so yummy looking!! Definitely need to get on this!
oh my…YUM times a MILLION!! Thank you!!! 🙂