My Glazed Old Fashioned Doughnut Cake is a tender buttermilk bundt cake with the warm nutmeg flavor and crackly vanilla glaze of a classic old fashioned doughnut.
This glazed old fashioned doughnut cake was the first in my doughnut-inspired Bundt cake series ~ a bakery-style bundt with the flavor of a classic old fashioned doughnut, no frying needed!
This recipe is a reader favorite
“This was a real hit with all ages at a recent bbq. Loved the texture and flavours. Really easy to put together too.”
“This cake is so good! Moist and delicious, with that almost-crunchy doughnut top. It really does taste like glazed buttermilk doughnuts.”
“This was A-ma-zing!! The oat flour really makes this ‘doughnut’ as does the fresh ground nutmeg!”
“Simple to put together and always comes out perfect.”
What you’ll need for that classic doughnut experience
This isn’t just a vanilla Bundt cake with glaze. The whole point is to capture the flavor and feel of an old fashioned doughnut, just baked big.
Buttermilk gives the cake that tender, slightly tangy old fashioned crumb.
Oat flour helps create a soft, sturdy crumb that feels closer to a cake doughnut.
The vanilla glaze sets into that thin, crackly shell that makes a glazed doughnut so irresistible. Trust me, don’t skimp on this!
Nutmeg is the bakery-case flavor most people can’t quite name, but instantly recognize. It’s what gives doughnuts their dough-nutty flavor. I use a whole teaspoon of this wonderful spice. Freshly grated nutmeg has the best aroma, but ground nutmeg works perfectly well here.
Bundt pan basics for doughnut cake
The Bundt pan gives you the big doughnut shape. The 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.
➡ Use a classic 10–12 cup Bundt pan for the best doughnut shape. Avoid intricate shapes.
➡ Grease every ridge well so the cake releases cleanly, I like butter and flour. Pay special attention to the inner ring.
➡ Let the cake cool 10–15 minutes before turning it out ~ too soon and it can tear, too late and it can stick.
➡ Glaze while the cake is fully cool so it doesn’t melt into a warm cake.
Is this a breakfast treat or dessert?
I consider this cake a breakfast, coffee break, or afternoon tea type of recipe, it’s not trying to be a fancy dessert. I picture it in the office break room, the teacher’s lounge, or anywhere where a box of doughnuts would be appropriate.
Your questions…
Yes, you can store at room temperature, loosely covered with foil. If you like you can add the glaze the next day.
I keep buttermilk on hand for baking but if you don’t have it you can use milk mixed with a little yogurt or sour cream. You can also add lemon juice or vinegar to milk (about 1 tablespoon per cup)
The oat flour is the secret to getting that authentic “old fashioned” doughnut texture! It creates a slightly sturdier, tender crumb that feels exactly like a classic cake doughnut rather than a standard fluffy vanilla cake. You can actually make your own by grinding rolled oats in a high speed blender.
I haven’t tested this cake gluten-free, but a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend should work reasonably well here. The texture will be more delicate, so let the cake cool fully before glazing and slicing.
I first published this cake way back in 2016 and have made it countless times since for family and friends. It’s foolproof, family-tested, and never lets me down ~ now retested and rephotographed for 2026 with fresh notes and clearer instructions.
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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
- 5 Tbsp water, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F
- Prepare your bundt pan by carefully buttering the entire surface, and then dusting with flour. Shake off the excess flour.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk or stir until just combined, don't over mix. I like to use a silicone spoonula.
- 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. (Moist crumbs are fine.) Set the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, and set a timer for this!
- Run a thin blunt knife around the edges of the pan, and around the center tube to loosen. 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.
glazing the cake
- 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.
Nutrition
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I was very happy with how this cake turned out. Like a few others, I felt it was a bit bland, so the second time I made it I added half a teaspoon each of ground cardamom and ceylon cinnamon on top of the grated nutmeg. I also heaped the half teaspoon of salt, to give the cake more depth. Cardamom is a spice I most associate with cake donuts, so for me that lent a more traditional flavor. Since the batter is baked instead of fried, it’s missing a lot of that unctuous mouth feel, but the buttermilk and oat flour helped make up for it texture-wise. This recipe is a winner!
Thanks Michelle, I like your idea of adding the spices, you can never go wrong with cardamom 🙂
I made this cake yesterday without any tweaks. OMG – Deeelishious. Has anyone tried to make this a chocolate walnut version? If I add 1/2 cup Coco powder, would I reduce the flour by 1/2 cup or reduce the flour by 1/4C and the oat flour by 1/4C ? Suggestions?
I think it would work either way Pat ~ let us know!
Would this still be great if I made it the night before for breakfast??
Yes, it will keep fine, right on the counter, loosely covered.
soo 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
The blueberry sauce sounds like such a nice idea, enjoy 🙂
Love 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?
You could try, but I can’t really say how it would turn out because I haven’t done it that way, Anne.
This 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!
Thanks so much Sally!
Hey, 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!
I would think you could add fresh blueberries to the batter, and then maybe crush some into the glaze for a really pretty cake!
What measurement would I use for nutmeg if using regular ground jar nutmeg. Not fresh
It kind of depends on how much you like nutmeg, May, but I would add a teaspoon.
Can 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.
It’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!
Can I substitute all-purpose flour for oat flour?
Yes, that’s fine.