A chocolate buttermilk coffee cake with the irresistible charm of a glazed chocolate doughnut ~ everybody loves this easy bundt cake!
This glazed chocolate doughnut cake is so good! It might be my favorite of all the doughnut cakes in my collection, but I say that every time I make a new one ๐ In my defense there is something special about an old fashioned glazed doughnut with a creviced top that collects the glaze, it just begs to be supersized. If you like the idea of a ginormous doughnut you can slice up like a cake, you’re in for a treat.
meet the rest of the doughnut cake gang
glazed chocolate doughnut cake ingredients
- all purpose flour
- oat flour
- oat flour helps give this cake its ‘doughnutty’ texture, plus it has great flavor. Find it right in your regular supermarket, but also see instructions here for making your own oat flour ~ it’s super easy.
- sugar
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- I use Hershey’s Special Dark which gives this cake its deep rich color and flavor.
- freshly grated nutmeg
- nutmeg is the defining flavor in doughnuts. The minute you taste this cake you’ll know it. I love to grind mine fresh, it makes such a difference.
- baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- buttermilk
- vegetable oil
- eggs
- vanilla
- confectioner’s sugar
- it makes that thin sweet crackly glaze we know and love on old fashioned glazed doughnuts.
Do you trust your bundt pan?
You’ll want a classic nonstick bundt pan that doesn’t have a lot of detail in the design for this doughnut cake recipe. Bundt pans have a short lifespan: if yours is old or worn, it’s time for a new one. Mine is a 10 inch pan from Wilton and I buy a new one every few years.
tips for flipping out your glazed chocolate doughnut cake
You know the nightmare scenario ~ you take your bundt cake out of the oven and everything looks absolutely perfect…until you try to flip it out from the pan.
- You must must must generously butter and flour the whole pan, getting into every nook and cranny.
- Let your cake cool for 15 minutes (set a timer) after it comes out of the oven.
- Run a small flexible offset spatula around the edges to gently loosen the cake. Don’t forget the all important center tube area!
- Place a flat plate over the top of your pan and then, in one swift (confident!) move flip it over. Set the plate down and do a shimmy shake to lift the pan straight up.
- If the cake doesn’t release give the pan a few good *thwacks* with a wooden spoon. If still no movement, flip the pan back over and gently work the edges again, going a little bit deeper this time. Check the tube area, which is where many cakes stick. Then flip again.
- If you do have some stickage, gently remove the stuck bits and reposition them. The glaze will hide all!
- Luckily this particular bundt cake is served face up to give it that glazed doughnut look, so no worries!
that glaze!
So many elements combine to make this cake fabulous, and so dough-nutty. But I have to say the glaze is one of my favorite parts, I love the way it pools in the cracks along the top. The slight crunchy texture and burst of sweetness makes me want some in every bite. It’s funny how something so simple can add so much to a recipe.
does it taste like a doughnut?
Yes, it does! It’s got that dense, cake-like texture and crumb of a cake doughnut, and an unmistakeable ‘dougnut‘ flavor, thanks to the nutmeg.
should you make this glazed chocolate doughnut cake?
This is a simple homey coffee cake but the contrast between the deep dark chocolate cake and the bright glaze makes it worthy of that special spring brunch. The giant doughnut presentation makes it a fun conversation piece, I do highly recommend it.
Glazed Chocolate Doughnut Cake
Equipment
- 10 inch non stick bundt pan this is the one I use.
- pastry brush
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup oat flour, see instructions here for making your own oat flour.
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, I use Hershey's Special Dark
- 3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
wet ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs,
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- about 5 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Prepare a bundt pan by carefully buttering the entire surface, and then dusting with flour. Shake off excess flour.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and blend until just combined, don't over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it. Set the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
- Run a blunt knife or offset spatula around the edges and center tube area of the pan to loosen the cake. Invert the cake and once it is safely out of the pan, gently flip it back over so that the rough edge is facing up. Let cool completely.
- To make the glaze, whisk the sugar with just enough water to make a smooth pourable glaze. When you lift the spoon and let the glaze drip down the 'squiggles' should disappear instantly. I used almost but not quite all of the water. If you like you can flavor your glaze with vanilla extract.
- When the cake is cool, brush the glaze liberally all over (top and sides) concentrating on those gorgeous cracks along the top. I like to pour the glaze along the top and brush out from there. Be generous, and work quickly, going over the cake more than once if you need to. Let the glaze harden up before slicing and enjoying.
- Store under a cake dome or covered with foil at room temperature. Cake is best eaten the day it is made.