Chocolate Cake Donuts: A Soft and Moist Baked Recipe

Chocolate Cake Donuts

If you have been craving a chocolate treat that feels like a bakery splurge but comes together in your own kitchen, these chocolate cake donuts are exactly what you need. They are baked, not fried, and each one gets a dunk in a glossy chocolate glaze. The crumb is fluffy and moist, with deep chocolate flavor in every bite.

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I keep a donut pan on my counter all year because this recipe is that easy to reach for. Once you try it, you may also want to browse the pumpkin donuts, blueberry cake donuts, and apple cider donuts on the site for more flavors to rotate through your weekend baking.

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Donuts

These are the best chocolate cake donuts for busy days, and here is why.

• Fast and simple. The whole batch takes under 30 minutes from start to finish, and you do not need a mixer.
• Baked, not fried. No hot oil, no splatter, and no lingering fryer smell in your kitchen.
• Serious chocolate flavor. Dutch process cocoa powder in the batter and a chocolate glaze on top give you chocolate in two layers.
• Moist, tender crumb. Sour cream and whole milk keep each donut rich and soft instead of dry.

One bowl for the wet ingredients, one for the dry, and a donut pan. That is the whole setup. If you have never baked donuts before, this is a forgiving place to start, and the glaze hides any small imperfections on the tops.

Ingredients for Chocolate Homemade Donuts

Every ingredient here has a job, and knowing what each one does makes the recipe easier to nail the first time. Read through the list once before you start so nothing catches you off guard.

Unsalted melted butter gives the donuts flavor and moisture. It is not something vegetable oil can replace, so I keep unsalted butter on hand for this recipe and do not swap it. Granulated sugar sweetens the batter and helps the tops bake up tender.

Eggs, whole milk, and sour cream should all be at room temperature before you start. Room temperature dairy blends smoothly into the batter and gives you the best texture once baked. The sour cream is the quiet hero here, adding extra moisture and a slightly tangy richness that balances the cocoa.

Vanilla bean paste is my first choice for flavor, though vanilla extract works perfectly well if that is what you keep on hand. All purpose flour builds the structure and gives the donuts their classic cake crumb.

Dutch process cocoa powder is what makes these taste like real chocolate instead of a pale, chalky version. It is darker and less acidic than natural cocoa, which is why the color and flavor come out so rich.

Baking powder and baking soda do the leavening work so the donuts puff up light and fluffy, and salt pulls all the flavors forward.

For the glaze, semisweet chocolate chips and coconut oil melt into a shiny coating that is easy to dip into, and it sets in the fridge. Chocolate shavings on top finish the look.

Chocolate Donut Recipe Step by Step

Here is the full method, from an empty bowl to a glazed donut in your hand.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a donut pan with nonstick spray and set it aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set the dry mixture aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. A gentle hand here keeps the crumb tender.
5. Transfer the batter to a piping bag.
6. Pipe the batter into the greased donut pan, filling each well about three quarters full.
7. Bake for 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
8. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 2 minutes. Then gently turn the pan upside down to release them onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
9. For the glaze, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a double boiler over medium heat and heat until everything is melted together. Move the glaze to a shallow bowl so dipping is easier.
10. Dip each cooled donut in the glaze and return it to the wire rack. Place the rack in the fridge so the glaze can set. Sprinkle the tops with chocolate shavings and serve.

The batter will be thick and glossy, which is exactly what you want. If you only own one donut pan, bake in two batches and let the second batch of batter wait on the counter while the first one bakes.

Prep takes about 20 minutes, and the bake itself is only 12 minutes. Any leftover donuts keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

Pro Tips:

• Measure your flour the right way. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a knife. Never scoop directly from the bag, because that packs the cup and gives you too much flour.
• Weigh it if you can. One cup of all purpose flour equals 125 grams, so a kitchen scale takes the guesswork out of the dry ingredients.
• Bring the wet ingredients to room temperature. Eggs, milk, and sour cream at room temperature give you the best texture once baked. Set them out about 30 minutes before you begin.
• Grease the pan well. Every curve of the donut wells needs a coat of nonstick spray so the donuts release cleanly.
• Let the glaze set. A short stay in the fridge firms the chocolate coating so it stays put when you pick a donut up.

The single biggest upgrade to this recipe is a kitchen scale. Weighing the flour takes ten seconds and protects the crumb.

These small habits are the difference between a good batch and a great one, and none of them add real time to your day.

Other Delicious Treats to Try

If chocolate is your thing, these recipes are worth adding to your list: Double Chocolate Banana Bread, Chocolate Cake, and Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies. Each one is simple to put together and gives you another way to use the cocoa powder in your pantry.

Ingredients

This recipe makes 16 donuts and uses two simple groups of ingredients.

For the chocolate donuts

• 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (122 g) sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla

For the chocolate glaze

• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Chocolate shavings, for topping

Instructions

Here is the same method written out in order, grouped so you can work through the donuts first and the glaze second.

For the donuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a donut pan with nonstick spray and set it aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, then set the bowl aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, sour cream, and vanilla.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
5. Transfer the batter to a piping bag.
6. Pipe the batter into the greased donut pan, filling each well three quarters full so there is room for the donuts to rise without spilling over the center post.
7. Bake for 12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers.
8. Cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then turn the pan upside down to release the donuts onto a cooling rack. Let them cool completely.

For the chocolate glaze

1. Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a double boiler over medium heat and heat until everything is melted together.
2. Dip each donut in the glaze and return it to the wire rack. Place the rack in the fridge so the glaze sets. Sprinkle the tops with chocolate shavings, then serve.

Work quickly once the glaze is melted, because the chocolate starts to firm up as it cools. If it thickens too much, set the bowl back over the warm water for a few seconds.

Prep time is 20 minutes and cook time is 12 minutes, for 16 donuts.

Notes

Leftover donuts keep in an airtight container for up to three days. If you want the glaze firm, store them in the fridge, then bring them out a few minutes before serving so the crumb softens back up.

For a make ahead option, bake and cool the donuts the day before and glaze them the morning you plan to serve. The unglazed donuts hold up well when wrapped tightly at room temperature overnight.

Recipe details

This is a quick batch to pull together, and the oven does most of the work. The numbers below are what to expect on your first try.

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Chocolate Cake Donuts If you have been craving a chocolate treat that feels like a bakery splurge but comes together in your own kitchen, these chocolate cake donuts are exactly what you need. They are baked, not fried, and each one gets a dunk in a glossy chocolate glaze.

• Total Time: 0 min
• Yield: 16 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Chocolate Donuts
1 3/4 cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup (122 g) sour cream, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla

For the Chocolate Glaze
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp coconut oil
chocolate shavings, for topping

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Instructions

For the Donuts
1-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a donut pan with non stick spray and set aside.
2-In a medium bowl, whisk together the: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Then set aside.
3-In a large bowl, mix together the: In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, sour cream and vanilla.
4-Add the dry ingredients to the wet: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
5-Transfer the donut bater to a piping: Transfer the donut bater to a piping bag.
6-Pipe the batter into the greased donut: Pipe the batter into the greased donut pan until each well is three-quarters full.
7-Bake the donuts for 12 minutes, or: Bake the donuts for 12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers.
8-Let them cool in the pan for: Let them cool in the pan for 2 minutes. Then gently turn the pan upside down to transfer the donuts to a cooling rack. Cool the donuts completely.

For the Chocolate Glaze
9-Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil: Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a double boiler over medium heat. Heat until everything is melted together.
10-Dip each donut in the chocolate glaze: Dip each donut in the chocolate glaze and return them to the wire rack. Place in the fridge to allow the glaze to set. Sprinkle the top of each donut with chocolate shavings, then serve!

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 12 min
• Method: bake