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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This was so much better the next day. I was pretty disappointed with it when I tried it the day I made it but the next morning it tasted so much yummier.
This happens to me a lot, I think glazed cakes sometimes get moister and the flavor develops overnight.
This cake is so good! Every time I make it, my guests LOVE IT! Tonight, one of my guests took a small piece and went back for seconds and thirds. They even asked if they could take a piece home for tomorrow. It is light and delicious. and is so good to serve up with coffee. I did use Bob Red Mill Fine Pastry flour instead of all purpose and this time, I used 1/2 cup canola oil with 1/4 cup melted butter instead of 3/4 cup canola oil. I also only use freshly grated nutmeg, which I am sure makes a huge difference, You can’t go wrong with this cake. It’s so easy to make and everyone that tries it, really likes it. Thank you for this great recipe.
:)))
I made this cake for a ladies gathering yesterday and it was okay, but I couldn’t taste the nutmeg. Today, I baked it again, and this time made sure to put in enough nutmeg. (Freshly ground, both times.) Also added a bit to the glaze, along with vanilla. *cue the heavenly choirs!
Such a delicious, warm, perfect-with-coffee cake!
I love your site and follow your Instagram. ?
Thanks Lorinda, I appreciate your support!!
Would putting in some vanilla bean in the glaze also work!!
You can NEVER go wrong with vanilla bean 🙂
I came across your recipe while searching for something totally unrelated (yay Google). I have always loved buttermilk donuts, but the small rural town I live near doesn’t even have a donut shop. The first thing I noticed after removing it from the pan was that it had a very traditional cake exterior, nothing like the rough, crispy looking exterior in your photos. I followed your instructions, even milling my own oat flour (small town again). The only difference is that I used Saco dry buttermilk added to the dry ingredients, and added the requisite water to the wet ingredients. (I think that buttermilk must be stored near the oat flour in my store). I made this in a Nordicware Original cast aluminum Bundt pan. My family loved the cake, but nobody thought it was supposed to be reminiscent of a donut. It was a great cake recipe, nonetheless!
It’s amazing how any little change can affect the way things bake up. The pan, the oven temp, your dry buttermilk, etc, might have affected the texture of your cake top. Remember mine is presented with the rough side up, which I assume you did as well.
I am searching for buttermilk donut recipes because my favorite bakery stopped making my favorite donut. Additionally, as I I was reading some comments about the less than stellar flavor, I think this could be a solution. Grate fresh orange zest into batter and glaze with a dark chocolate ganache!.
Sounds wonderful…I feel another doughnut bundt cake recipe coming on 🙂
How much less nutmeg if using dried? I am .sling this morning.
Oh gosh, feel better Susan! If you use dried you’ll want just a little less, use a scant teaspoon.
Fabulous cake!! What adjustments do I make to create a chocolate doughnut cake? My best friend from 7th grade is coming and wants a chocolate cake. I love chocolate glazed doughnuts so I think it will be fun to make this a chocolate doughnut cake!!
You’re in luck ~ I’ve got a Chocolate Sour Cream Doughnut Bundt Cake here!
Making it tonight! Can’t wait to try this!!
I made this last week and took to work. Needless to say, it was a hit. I made mine maple though: replaced ¼ cup of the buttermilk with maple syrup and two tsp natural maple flavoring for the vanilla, also left out the nutmeg as I’m not a fan. For the glaze I used maple syrup, maple extract and powdered sugar for the glaze. Incredible!
I love your maple spin on this, it reminds me I should definitely do a maple doughnut bundt this fall!
Made this again yesterday for breakfast today. It does benefit from sitting overnight.
I used 1.5 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (I love nutmeg) plus a half teaspoon of cardamom. The aroma is incredible!
I added vanilla to the glaze. Once the cake cooled, I glazed the fluted part of the cake, let it dry, then flipped it and glazed the top.
Just like a doughnut!
I’m a big cardamom fan, and the combo sounds lovely!
Please clarify: You used the entire nutmeg (freshly ground) in this recipe?
Yes, I did! Nutmegs are fairly porous so it isn’t as much as it sounds, and you can certainly use less if you like.
I am preparing the ingredients now to make the cake. I am wondering why you glaze the rough side of the cake rather than glaze the top of cake that has the pretty bundt cake pan design on it?
I did that because it resembles an old fashioned doughnut that way Debby, with the crackly side up it also catches more of the glaze. You can do it either way you like.