Mini Chocolate Baked Donuts
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Around Valentine’s Day, I saw a lot of recipes popping up on blogs for homemade cake donuts that were baked. I really wanted to give them a try. Usually, I don’t do recipes requiring a special pan you can’t find in most kitchens. However, you can get a donut pan for around $10, which I think is worth the investment for fun donuts that are made at home. So I went out to find a donut pan to make mini chocolate baked donuts. I wanted to find a regular sized pan, a mini sized pan, and a heart shaped pan. Also, I wanted to make donuts for St. Patty’s.
I saw a mini donut maker at Smith’s Marketplace on sale for 50% off, making it $12. I decided to go for it. This way, I could make donuts wherever I wanted to without an oven. I made chocolate donuts with chocolate glaze, topped with St. Patty’s Day sprinkles.
I adapted a recipe for the donuts from Wilton and adapted the glaze from a recipe I found on myrecipes.com from Sunset magazine.
Then, I headed to a local bakery at my Macey’s grocery store. If you want cute sprinkles for things, this is where you go. Sometimes, you can find cute ones on the holiday aisle of your local store, but you can usually always get some from a local bakery. Plus, most will sell you the amount you want, and you don’t have to buy a whole container. Shhhhh, it’s our little secret. Or they sell containers of them right in the bakery.
These donuts were not only yummy but also fun. They end up being a little smaller than the Hostess donettes. They are a fun size and are perfect for little kids. You can use this recipe for any donut pan. Just adjust the cooking time according to what your pan says. The frosting is basically a ganache made with semi-sweet chocolate chips, but if semi-sweet isn’t your kind of chocolate, you can use milk chocolate instead.
You may also have extra frosting left over, but I am sure you can find a way to put it to good use. You can just dip fresh fruit in it and eat it like fondue. YUM!
Ingredients for Mini Chocolate Baked Donuts
- CAKE FLOUR
- COCOA POWDER
- SUGAR
- BAKING POWDER
- SALT
- BUTTERMILK
- EGGS
- CANOLA OIL
- VANILLA EXTRACT
- SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS
- WHIPPING CREAM
- BUTTER
- CORN SYRUP
Instructions for Mini Chocolate Baked Donuts
Whisk the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps of flour!
Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Gently mix until just combined. Don’t overmix!
Prepare the Piping Bag: Transfer the batter to a zip-top freezer bag. Snip a small corner off the bag to create a makeshift piping bag. Alternatively, you can use a traditional piping bag.
Prepare the Donut Maker/Pan: Spray your donut maker or donut pan with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray.
Pipe the Batter: Carefully pipe the batter into the donut maker or donut pan.
- Donut Pan: Fill each well halfway with batter.
- Donut Maker: Fill the bottom half of each preheated donut maker well completely with batter. Be cautious not to let the piping bag touch the hot surface of the donut maker.
Cook the Donuts: Cook the donuts according to the instructions for your specific donut maker or pan. If using a donut maker, cook for approximately 3 minutes.
Make the Glaze: Combine the glaze ingredients (powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk) in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the glaze is smooth and melted. This usually takes about 3 rounds of microwaving.
Dip and Decorate: Dip the top half of each cooled donut into the glaze. Place the glazed donuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to allow the glaze to set. Sprinkle with sprinkles immediately after dipping, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Yes, you can! All-purpose flour will work just fine. However, cake flour will result in slightly lighter and more tender donuts.
What if I don’t have a donut maker?
You can use a mini muffin tin to bake mini donut holes. Adjust the baking time accordingly.
Can I make these donuts ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake the donuts ahead of time. Let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Can I freeze these donuts?
Yes, you can freeze both glazed and unglazed donuts.
Frosted: Wrap each donut individually in plastic wrap and then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Unfrosted: Place the cooled donuts in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Frost them once thawed.
What other glazes can I use?
Get creative with your glazes! Try chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter, or even sprinkle with powdered sugar for a simple and classic touch.
FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS, TRY:
Mini Chocolate Baked Donuts
Real Mom Kitchen
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups cake flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Glaze:
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 tsp corn syrup
Instructions
- In large mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt. You want to get rid of any lumps of flour.
- Add buttermilk, eggs, oil and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Place the batter into a ziploc freezer bag and snip a small piece off the corner of the bag to create a pipping bag or just use a pipping bag.
- Spray your donut pan or donut maker with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray. Carefully pipe the batter into the donut maker or donut pan. If using a donut pan pipe enough batter into each well to fill halfway. If using a donut maker pipe into the bottom half of the preheated maker completely filling each well. Be careful to not let the piping bag touch the hot donut maker.
- Cook the donuts according to donut pan directions or for 3 minutes in the donut maker. Repeat this process until all the batter is used up.
- Place the glaze ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 20 second intervals, stirring after each one until the ingredients are all melted and combined well. This will take about 3 – 20 second intervals.
- Dip top half of donuts in glaze and place on a baking sheet to allow glaze to set. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired right after dipping. Make about 58 mini donuts.
