Maple Donut Cake

donut shaped cake with light brown glaze with three slices cut out.

5 from 1 vote

Love this recipe?Mention @UglyDucklingBakery or tag #UglyDucklingBakery!

This maple donut cake won't fool donut lovers that you're eating a fried donut. But it will satisfy your donut cravings.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Cooling/glaze drying time.3

Total Time4

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Unspecified

Servings:

Calories: 315kcal

Author: Joanne Stekler

Equipment

Stand mixer or hand mixer
6 cup bundt pan (see notes)

Ingredients

Old-fashioned Buttermilk Donut Cake

1 ¾ cup (220 grams) bleached all-purpose flour plus more for flouring the pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom
½ cup (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
2 eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk

Maple glaze

1½ cup (172 grams) confectioners' sugar plus more as desired for consistency
½ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
¼ cup whole milk or cream one tablespoon at a time as needed for consistency

Instructions

Old-fashioned buttermilk donut cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Liberally butter and flour your pan, particularly if using a bundt pan with lots of design.
Sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon or cardamom into a medium bowl.
1 ¾ cup (220 grams) bleached all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
In the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a medium to large bowl if using a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
½ cup (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
Add the eggs and vanilla one at a time, beating on medium speed for one minute after each addition, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down the bowl.
Add the buttermilk and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down the bowl.
½ cup buttermilk
Add the rest of the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just mixed.
Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly around the pan. Give the pan a few thwacks on the countertop to even it out and get out any air bubbles.
Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until the cake is beginning to turn golden and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean and without any crumbs. The cake will be just starting to pull away from the edge of the pan.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Carefully run a thin knife or spatula around the inner and outer edges of the cake. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack so that it is "upside down" (i.e. the cake that was exposed is now the bottom of the cake). Let cool completely.

Maple glaze

Combine the confectioners sugar, maple syrup, and melted butter in a small bowl.
½ cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled, 1½ cup (172 grams) confectioners' sugar
If the glaze is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until it is just pourable. If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioner's sugar.
¼ cup whole milk or cream
Put the cake, still on the cooling rack, over a sheet of parchment or wax paper and pour the glaze over the cake, letting it run down both the inner and outer edges. Feel free to pour on several layers of glaze.
Let the maple glaze dry about one hour before serving.
This maple donut cake is freshest within the 24 hours after baking, but it will keep at room temperature for one week, if it lasts that long in your house.

Notes

This maple donut cake recipe recipe will work for any 6 cup bundt or tube pan. If you have a 12 to 15 cup pan, please double the recipe and bake for 45 to 55 minutes.

Be sure to start with room temperature butter, and cream the butter and sugar well until they are truly light and fluffy.

To make a different flavored glaze, just start with confectioner's sugar and add flavoring (e.g. vanilla) and a bit of liquid (e.g. milk or cream or lemon juice or orange juice or...) until you can pour it.

Nutrition