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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Since I can no longer have Buttermilk Bars I am so happy I have found this cake that tastes so similar. It freezes beautifully so I can portion it out to myself. Thank you!
If I don’t use the oat flour but all ordinary flour, does the baking powder and soda need altering in amount?
No, I don’t change anything in that case.
I made this recipe today because old fashioned doughnuts are our favorite. It tasted almost identical to a buttermilk bar that we had eaten a few years ago. I have read that several people had trouble with the cake and thought of some things that might have made a difference. I always grind my oats. They must be ground as fine as possible or they don’t hold together as well. I have never let my ingredients come to room temperature but on your advice I did today. I believe that really helped also. The only changes I made were adding 1 t of vanilla to the frosting and 1/4 t of ground cardamon. The buttermilk bars we were used to have more frosting and the next time I make it I will make another cup.
What a wonderful dessert!
So, each week I make 1 “sweet” no yeast quick bread for snack, breakfast…; 1 dinner/sandwich bread and 1 dessert (either a cake, pie…). This week, my husband saw this recipe on my counter for me to make the following day and immediately said “do we have coconut and chocolate”. I asked why and he suggested making this cake but instead of the glaze mentioned, making a chocolate ganache and as the ganache is being poured over the bundt that I then sprinkle sweetened coconut flakes.
It was incredible AND better yet, he said it tasted like his favorite donut he used to get when he lived in California many years ago.
Thank you for this great recipe!
I am not a baker and so when I do bake a cake I follow the instructions to the letter. I made this cake. I found it to be way to heavy / dense. To us, it mostly tasted like flour. And it was very crumbly, fell apart when I flipped it back. In the end I tossed it out before serving it to company. So not my favourite.
…….. so you didn’t make this cake Michelle.
This is a delicious cake that is now a favorite that I’ll be making many, many more times. The oats make it really special.
A few notes about my substitutions:
* used only 1 cup of sugar
* 1.5 teaspoons of ground nutmeg (didn’t grind my own)
* replaced half the oil with applesauce
* Greek yogurt thinned with soymilk instead of buttermilk
* added a little cinnamon to the glaze
This cake is so good! Moist and delicious, with that almost-crunchy doughnut top. It really does taste like glazed buttermilk doughnuts. I made it gluten free, replacing the all purpose flour with 1 cup of cassava flour and 1 cup of Bob’s 1-to-1 gluten free flour. Everyone had seconds.
Thanks Julie!
This cake is absolutely delicious!! Second time I have made it. It’s Devine!!!
This cake is my new favorite! Simple to put together and always comes out perfect.