Glazed Old Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnut Bundt Cake ~ this cake knocked our socks off, you have to try it. It tastes just like those glazed old fashioned doughnuts, you know the ones…only this one is mega-sized, in a bundt pan! File it under foodie fantasy come true.
“This was A-ma-zing!! The oat flour really makes this ‘doughnut’ as does the fresh ground Nutmeg! Took your advice and ground a whole nut… I was skeptical at first, but now I’m a believer! I will definitely be making this again!.”
Lynn
glazed old fashioned buttermilk doughnut cake is a new classic
This is a fun cake to bring to any gathering, but it’s also pretty nice to have sitting on the counter for the family. This bundt cake is part of a mini-series here in the Great Island kitchen ~ doughnut inspired bundt cakes!
- Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
- Jelly Doughnut Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Sour Cream Doughnut Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Doughnut Bundt Cake
glazed old fashioned buttermilk doughnuts are the best doughnuts, can we agree on that?
The crackly outer glaze and the soft cakey interior make them utterly irresistible. It’s all in the way the craggy crust soaks in the glaze that really gets me. I’ve replicated all that and more in this easy bundt cake.
what makes this glazed old fashioned buttermilk doughnut cake taste like a doughnut?
Have you ever wondered? It’s nutmeg! Nutmeg happens to be one of my favorite spices, I always buy it in whole form and grate it fresh for my recipes, the aroma is incredible. It’s nutmeg that gives doughnuts their distinctively ‘doughnutty’ flavor. I add a whole teaspoon of this wonderful spice to this recipe, which really gives the cake a doughnut vibe. If you look close you’ll be able to see the fine specks of spice in the cake. I used a full teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg in this cake, and for those who know nutmeg, this is a lot. But it really gives the cake that perfect doughnut flavor.
where to get fresh nutmeg
Fresh nutmeg comes in the form of small, hard egg-shpaed balls, about the size of a large olive. They come in jars and a jar will last you quite a while and is well worth it. Look for them right next to the ground nutmeg in your supermarket. Yes, they’re pricey, but they last a very long time because they’re whole..
how to grind fresh nutmeg
Normally you would grind fresh nutmeg on a rasp or the fine side of your box grater, and a little goes a long way with this aromatic spice. Most recipes call for 1/4 teaspoon or so. But for this epic doughnut cake I used a whole nutmeg!
The quickest way to do this in a coffee grinder/spice grinder. My sturdy little coffee grinder has been serving me well for decades, it’s a must to have around if you love cooking with spices. (Here is the newer model of my grinder if you’re interested.) I grind whole cinnamon, allspice, and lots of other things in it (including coffee,) it never gives up. Yes, you can use ground nutmeg too, but use less. Dried spices are more concentrated.
don’t skimp on the glaze…
After the nutmeg does its job on the inside of the cake, the glaze adds the final touch to the outside. This classic bundt cake bakes up with a big crevasse running along the center. It provides the perfect jagged surface for all that glaze to settle into. Yum.
It was meant to be…
why do I use oat flour in this buttermilk doughnut cake?
I’ve discovered that a combination of regular all purpose flour and oat flour results in a perfect cake crumb, along with an extra nutrition boost from the whole grain oats, and a lovely flavor. You can buy oat flour in most supermarkets, and you can always find it online.
how to make your own oat flour
If you’re interested, it’s super easy to make it yourself. See my post about How to Make Oat Flour for all the details!
Glazed Old Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnut Bundt Cake
Equipment
- bundt pan
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour, See instructions here for making your own oat flour.
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 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, at room temperature, Check out my post on how to bring cold ingredients up to room temperature in a jiffy!
- 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.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together in a another bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until just combined, don’t over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 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.
- 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, but add that before adding the water.
- When the cake is cool, brush the glaze liberally all over, concentrating on those gorgeous cracks along the top. Work quickly, and go over the cake more than once if you need to. The glaze will harden as it sits.
Video
Notes
In a pinch, you can substitute regular flour for the oat flour.
Other amazing bundt cake recipes to try
Nutrition
Since I can no longer have Buttermilk Bars I am so happy I have found this cake that tastes so similar. It freezes beautifully so I can portion it out to myself. Thank you!
If I don’t use the oat flour but all ordinary flour, does the baking powder and soda need altering in amount?
No, I don’t change anything in that case.
I made this recipe today because old fashioned doughnuts are our favorite. It tasted almost identical to a buttermilk bar that we had eaten a few years ago. I have read that several people had trouble with the cake and thought of some things that might have made a difference. I always grind my oats. They must be ground as fine as possible or they don’t hold together as well. I have never let my ingredients come to room temperature but on your advice I did today. I believe that really helped also. The only changes I made were adding 1 t of vanilla to the frosting and 1/4 t of ground cardamon. The buttermilk bars we were used to have more frosting and the next time I make it I will make another cup.
What a wonderful dessert!
So, each week I make 1 “sweet” no yeast quick bread for snack, breakfast…; 1 dinner/sandwich bread and 1 dessert (either a cake, pie…). This week, my husband saw this recipe on my counter for me to make the following day and immediately said “do we have coconut and chocolate”. I asked why and he suggested making this cake but instead of the glaze mentioned, making a chocolate ganache and as the ganache is being poured over the bundt that I then sprinkle sweetened coconut flakes.
It was incredible AND better yet, he said it tasted like his favorite donut he used to get when he lived in California many years ago.
Thank you for this great recipe!
I am not a baker and so when I do bake a cake I follow the instructions to the letter. I made this cake. I found it to be way to heavy / dense. To us, it mostly tasted like flour. And it was very crumbly, fell apart when I flipped it back. In the end I tossed it out before serving it to company. So not my favourite.
…….. so you didn’t make this cake Michelle.
This is a delicious cake that is now a favorite that I’ll be making many, many more times. The oats make it really special.
A few notes about my substitutions:
* used only 1 cup of sugar
* 1.5 teaspoons of ground nutmeg (didn’t grind my own)
* replaced half the oil with applesauce
* Greek yogurt thinned with soymilk instead of buttermilk
* added a little cinnamon to the glaze
This cake is so good! Moist and delicious, with that almost-crunchy doughnut top. It really does taste like glazed buttermilk doughnuts. I made it gluten free, replacing the all purpose flour with 1 cup of cassava flour and 1 cup of Bob’s 1-to-1 gluten free flour. Everyone had seconds.
Thanks Julie!
This cake is absolutely delicious!! Second time I have made it. It’s Devine!!!
This cake is my new favorite! Simple to put together and always comes out perfect.