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 find 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.
trust me – 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, and really gives this cake the old-fashioned doughnut vibe.
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 Doughnut Cake
Video
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.
Notes
In a pinch, you can substitute regular flour for the oat flour.
Hi 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!!!
Funny 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.
I love that pretty glaze, what a perfect cake!
Re : oat flour , how do I make it ? Is it regular old fashioned oats in container ground up ? , never used this before and do I measure the oat s for cake amt before grinding or after grinding. Thank you .
You will put raw rolled oats in a blender or food processor and process until it becomes a fine powder, or flour. Then measure out the 1 and 1/2 cups for this recipe. You will need approximately 2 cups of oats to start with, give or take. I have a whole post about how to do it HERE.
I am a huge fan of this blog, and was so excited to try this cake. Unfortunately for me, it turned out to be a total dud. I followed all the directions, and the crumb was fine, but I just felt like it was really boring and not at all the rich, sugary donut flavor I was hoping for. Maybe a syrup glaze out of the oven would have helped?
So sorry you had a ‘meh’ experience ~ this cake is definitely not as sugary as the doughnuts because of the bigger cake to glaze ratio, but if you do want it sweeter I think you might do one of those glazes right out of the oven where you poke holes in the top and let the glaze sink in. Then you could reglaze it later after it cools. Yum!
I made this yesterday. I agree with Genevieve – I followed the directions perfectly and it did not at all taste like the buttermilk donuts. The consistency was fine, but the taste was just not there. I don’t think it had anything to do with the glaze, which was great. I will try it again one day.
I have also been delighted to find your blog, Sue, and just made your Dutch apple cake to rave reviews at two dinner parties. The pictures and descriptions of this one sounded great, and now I’ve got a cake I’m taking to another dinner party and not sure what to do. I always make a smaller version of a new baked item if I’m serving for first time to friends. Texture good, looks pretty, but taste is really bland–it’s not the lack of sweetness, but lack of taste. I’m debating going out to buy something else for desert. Have you got any ideas to perhaps jazz up the icing with something that doesn’t conflict with nutmeg. Vanilla won’t be enough…I’ve already tried…
This cake is really a breakfast type cake, Deb, and for me it has that subtle flavor (like a doughnut) that I like with a cup of coffee or tea. Maybe some vanilla bean, or almond extract would give you what you’re looking for?
I can’t wait to make this today….Old Fashion Buttermilk Donuts with chocolate glaze is my favorite. I’m going to do the vanilla glaze on half of it and then add some cocoa to the other half of the glaze and then put the Chocolate Glaze on the other half and see which I like better. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!!!
Now you’ve got me intrigued…I’m not sure I’ve ever had a chocolate glazed old fashioned doughnut…might have to remedy that today, for research purposes of course 😉
Made this yesterday and it is one of the best cakes EVER!! It really is like an Old Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnut. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! I’m looking forward to making the chocolate one.
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!
I’m so glad you tried the whole nutmeg, wasn’t that a blast? For most recipes you’ll just grate a little bit, but it’s fun to really use an ingredient to the max every once in a while.
This looks Ah-Maz-ING!! OMG! I haven’t look forward to baking something in awhile but this recipe has me super excited! Thank you so much for sharing it.
That’s just what I want to do here Linda, thanks!
Hey there, cake looks amazing, do you think it would freeze well, prior to the glaze?
Yes, I’m sure it would, just wrap it extra well!
I made this cake tonight for dinner tomorrow night with friends. I have to do dairy free so I used oat milk. The cake smelled like the donuts I make every year in the fall. This was so much easier! Can’t wait to try it, I may have to sneak a sliver tonight! 😉