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.
I hadn’t even washed the plate that the last slice of this cake came off of, and already my husband was asking me to make another. Sounds like a 5 star success to me! But this time around, he wants me to make it in the new mini Bundt cake pans we just got (he says it is a scientific experiment; more surface area to put the icing on!) to see if they are as good that way. I haven’t made a lot of cakes in the past, but I think the oat flour definitely does make the crumb more tender for sure. Another winner in a long line of winning recipes, Sue – thank you!
Oh gosh! I’ve just made it. It looked wonderful, came out perfectly moist, just perfect. But it tastes awful. Almost like cornbread (which is awful, if your expecting cake) Is it the nutmeg? I didn’t grind the nutmeg, but used what I had…was it too much?
Leona, I can’t think what might have happened. I suppose if you used prepared nutmeg it would be a little stronger than the fresh grated, for sure.
Sue, let me start with the positive. Excellent, super easy to assemble, breakfast, evening TV watching, anytime cake. I have never used oat flour before, but if that is what gave the cake its crumb, I will be doing it more often. As someone else posted, I did up salt to 1 tsp. as I feel that we have gone too far on salt elimination . No, you cant taste the salt, but the cake was not bland, it was flavorful (well seasoned?). The bad news, if you keep posting this wonderful recipes, quarantine weight gain is the least of my worries, I will have Great Island weight gain.
Lol ~ Great Island weight gain on top of Covid weight gain is a major problem, take it from me 😉
Just a question….what is the model number of your older coffee grinder?
The cake looks wonderful!
This is a very forgiving recipe! I only had 1/4 cup canola oil and didn’t want to use olive oil as I thought that might be too strong a flavor. I subbed in 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce and cut the sugar back by 1/4 cup. The result was divine – it baked up perfectly and was so tender and moist! The whole family loved it – even my husband who usually is not a fan of cake (so odd I could marry someone like that, I know). I didn’t do the glaze because I forgot I was also out of powdered sugar (doh!), but just served it with some fresh strawberries and fresh whipped cream instead. It was also delicious just plain. Given the ease of this recipe, and the fact that there are oats in it (love adding a bit of fiber whenever possible), this may be my new favorite cake!
I’m so glad Kimberly, thanks!
This recipe is killer. Made it twice in one month. Soon as I arrived home following a week of business travel and disappointing bakery experiences- I whipped up this cake to enjoy the following morning. If you enjoy good old fashion doughnuts-this is terrific. Tastes better after an overnight set.
I know just what you mean about those disappointing bakery experiences!!
I made this in my Nordic party Bundt pan. I sprayed the pan with oil and then coated it with vanilla sugar. Poured batter in and dusted top with vanilla sugar and baked. The cake came out the pan with a nice sugar crust (which is great if you don’t like glazes)but I decided to put a little glaze on as well. Cake was super moist and not overly sweet. Great with good black coffee.
Just like donuts are hard to stop at one, it’s hard to stop at one slice ?
I think this would be great for Mini Bundt cakes as well. Maybe with a few sprinkles on the glaze?
I keep meaning to make minis, good idea!
If you make minis – how long would you bake them?
It’s really going to depend on your specific pans, but usually about 20-25 minutes.
Do u have to use oat flour??
No, you can just sub in more regular flour.
Can you use GF rolled oats to make the flour?
yes, that will work perfectly.
My husband requested this cake for his birthday and we loved it! The oat flour is spot on with the texture and I love adding whole grains to baked goods. I only had pre ground nutmeg, so I used 1 and 3/4 teaspoons since it isn’t nearly as strong as fresh ground. I also bumped the salt to a teaspoon. I felt it would need more salt compared to other recipes I’ve made with a similar volume. It was perfect and may be why some reviewers thought it a little bland. Can’t wait to try the other “donut” bundt cakes!
This cake came out beautifully. Looked just like the photos you posted. I was hoping for more of a buttermilk flavor; the nutmeg kind of overpowered it. I’m going to try with half the nutmeg on this week’s test. I also want to try using buttermilk in the frosting as well. Definitely a winner in my book!!!!