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.
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.