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
I’m starting Fall ’18 with a bang, folks. I wanted to get this epic doughnut cake out early so you’d have plenty of chances to make it this season. It’s 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 recipe marks #2 in a new mini-series I’ve got going ~ doughnut inspired bundt cakes ~ what do you think, isn’t that going to be fun? My Apple Cider Doughnut Cake started it all off and I’ve got plans for a few more besides today’s recipe. Can’t wait!
So, 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.
What makes a doughnut 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.
How to use 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.
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.
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 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 ~ 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!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 cups oat flour (If you are grinding your own flour start with 2 cups raw rolled oats, process and then measure out 1 and 1/2 cups of the flour)
- 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 and 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 (I use safflower or canola)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 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.
Notes
The pan I used for this recipe is the classic Wilton 10 inch fluted bundt pan In a pinch, you can substitute regular flour for the oat flour.
Other amazing bundt cake recipes to try ~
Glazed Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Hummingbird Bundt Cake
Apple Walnut Zucchini Bundt
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bundt
57 Comments
Jennifer
February 12, 2019 at 4:18 pmWould this still be great if I made it the night before for breakfast??
Sue
February 12, 2019 at 5:34 pmYes, it will keep fine, right on the counter, loosely covered.
barbara
February 3, 2019 at 8:34 amsoo good, made this this morning. the fresh nutmeg has the whole house smelling wonderful. I made a fresh blueberry sauce to have on the side. perfect. thank you
Sue
February 3, 2019 at 8:35 amThe blueberry sauce sounds like such a nice idea, enjoy :)
Anne
February 1, 2019 at 1:53 pmLove the idea of this cake! It reminds me of my mom’s favorite doughnut. However, I am not a baker and do not have a bundt pan. Can I use a 9 x 11 glass dish?
Sue
February 1, 2019 at 2:05 pmYou could try, but I can’t really say how it would turn out because I haven’t done it that way, Anne.
Sally
February 1, 2019 at 12:10 amThis cake was just like an old fashion donut, crispy top and super moist! The recipe was easy and the nutmeg made my kitchen smell of warm goodness. My family loved it! Will try again with a chocolate glaze for my sweet tooth or strawberry glaze for the spring. Wonderful recipe!
Sue
February 1, 2019 at 7:28 amThanks so much Sally!
Emily
December 28, 2018 at 10:30 amHey, this looks delicious! I wonder, what would you do if you wanted to make it a blueberry donut cake? My daughter says she wants a blueberry cake for her birthday and she loves blueberry donuts. I am wondering if I can hit those same notes with this recipe, perhaps with some adjustments? Thanks so much!
Sue
December 28, 2018 at 10:33 amI would think you could add fresh blueberries to the batter, and then maybe crush some into the glaze for a really pretty cake!
May
December 9, 2018 at 7:29 amWhat measurement would I use for nutmeg if using regular ground jar nutmeg. Not fresh
Sue
December 9, 2018 at 8:22 amIt kind of depends on how much you like nutmeg, May, but I would add a teaspoon.
Kathie
November 30, 2018 at 7:07 pmCan you freeze the cake and hold off on glazing ? And how best to wrap? This cake may be our Christmas cake but need to make in advance this year.
Sue
November 30, 2018 at 9:34 pmIt’s not ideal to glaze it later because the glaze won’t get a chance to sink into the cake. But you’re in a bind because freezing glazed cakes doesn’t work very well. Not sure what to advise, sorry Kathie!
Sarah
November 1, 2018 at 10:54 amCan I substitute all-purpose flour for oat flour?
Sue
November 1, 2018 at 1:10 pmYes, that’s fine.
Jennifer
October 8, 2018 at 5:38 pmHi there. Wondering if you’ve ever made these in a mini bundt tin? And if so, wonder how long to bake them? This looks so delicious! Can’t wait to try it!!!
Sue
October 8, 2018 at 6:00 pmFunny you should mention that, I was wandering through Marshall’s the other day and found some cute mini bundt pans and considered doing mini doughnut bundt cakes. I’m not sure exactly how long to bake them but I’d probably take a peek at 20 minutes.