Glazed Donut Cake
This Glazed Donut Cake is exactly what it sounds like: a soft, fluffy cake inspired by the texture and flavor of a classic glazed donut. It’s rich and buttery, lightly sweet, and covered in a simple vanilla glaze that melts into every nook and cranny. The texture is what makes it special, somewhere between a cake and a yeast dough, with a light, pillowy crumb and just a little bit of chew.
When I made this recipe, I wanted to create a cake that tasted and felt like a glazed donut. Traditional cakes were too soft and crumbly, while yeasted doughs felt too much like bread. Neither delivered that distinctive glazed donut texture I was after.
Then I stumbled upon German Butterkuchen. The dough is basically a hybrid between bread and cake—rich with butter, sugar, and milk, but still develops the structure of a yeast dough. It had exactly the qualities I was looking for, so I started experimenting with different ratios and techniques to transform it into a glazed donut cake.
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The result is this recipe: soft, fluffy, slightly chewy, and remarkably similar to a fresh bakery glazed donut.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I have plenty of donut recipes like my Sweetened Condensed Milk Donuts or Dulce de Leche Donuts, but I wanted something similar in texture, but a little easier to prepare. Here are the reasons why I am obsessed with this recipe!
- Tastes just like a classic glazed donut in cake form.
- Soft, fluffy, and buttery with a light yeasted texture.
- Covered in a simple vanilla glaze that soaks into the warm cake.
- Easier than making homemade donuts.
- Perfect for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or afternoon coffee.
- Stays surprisingly soft for days.
Key Ingredients & Why They Matter
Nutmeg: A small amount of freshly grated nutmeg gives the cake that unmistakable bakery-style donut flavor. Don’t skip it.
Yeast: The yeast creates the unique texture that sets this cake apart from traditional cakes. It provides structure while keeping the crumb soft and airy.
Butter: Butter appears both in the dough and as the topping. It creates richness, moisture, and those signature buttery pockets throughout the cake. Just like in my Bavarian Cream Donuts, I use lots and lots of butter!
Heavy Cream: Pouring cream over the hot cake after baking helps keep it incredibly moist and tender.
Vanilla Glaze: The simple glaze is what truly transforms this from a sweet bread into a glazed donut cake.
How to Make Glazed Donut Cake
The structure of this cake is pretty unique, so I’m going to walk you through it step by step! The full recipe card is below for your reference.
Activate the Yeast
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk, yeast, and a couple of tablespoons of the sugar. I like to let this sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, which tells me the yeast is active.
Mix the Dough
Add the remaining sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg, egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and softened butter.
Knead the Dough
Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for about 8 minutes. The dough should become smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
Let Rise
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Pan & Shape the Dough
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease either a 12-cup Bundt pan or a 9×13-inch baking pan. A slightly larger rectangular pan, such as a 10×15-inch pan, will also work if you’d like a thinner cake.
For a Bundt pan, shape the dough into a thick ring and place it into the prepared pan. Gently press it into an even layer. For a 9×13-inch pan, transfer the dough directly to the prepared pan and gently stretch it toward the edges.
Cover loosely and let the dough rest for about 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
Baking in a 9×13″
This recipe can also be baked in a 9×13″. I actually preferred the texture of the baked cake in this shape. The frosting to cake ratio was higher and it made for the perfect texture.
Add the Butter Topping
Using the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingertips, create dimples across the dough’s surface. Press about ½ inch deep. Scatter the cold butter cubes evenly across the surface, nestling some into the dimples. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top.
If you’re using a 9×13-inch pan, the process is the same. Simply stretch the dough into the pan and add the butter topping.
Bake the Cake
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 195°F to 200°F. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, slowly pour or brush the heavy cream evenly over the entire surface.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes.
Make the Glaze
In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
The glaze should be thick but pourable. If needed, add additional milk one teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Drizzle & Finish
Pour the glaze over the warm cake, allowing it to drip down the sides and settle into all the dimples and crevices. Let the glaze set for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Storage
Store leftovers tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For the best texture, let the cake sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving. It stays remarkably soft, even when chilled.
Expert Tips
- Use freshly grated nutmeg for the most authentic donut flavor.
- Measure the flour with a kitchen scale for the best texture.
- The dough should remain slightly tacky; avoid adding too much extra flour.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness.
- Glaze the cake while it’s still warm so the glaze partially melts into the surface.
- Grease your Bundt pan thoroughly to ensure easy release.
Variations
Because this cake is so simple, there are a ton of different flavors you can add to give it your own spin!
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Cake: Skip the glaze and brush the warm cake with melted butter. Coat generously with cinnamon sugar.
Maple Glazed Donut Cake: Replace some of the milk in the glaze with maple syrup.
Chocolate Glazed Donut Cake: Add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder to the glaze. You could also make a chocolate ganache!
Vanilla Bean Donut Cake: Use vanilla bean paste in both the dough and glaze for extra flavor.
FAQ
Yes. Instant yeast can be substituted in equal amounts. Simply mix it directly into the dry ingredients and skip the proofing step.
Absolutely. The recipe was tested in both a Bundt pan and a 9×13-inch pan.
The combination of yeast, nutmeg, butter, and vanilla glaze creates the flavor and texture profile of a classic bakery-style glazed donut.
Yes. Freeze individual slices or the entire cake for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If this Glazed Donut Cake has you craving more bakery-style treats, I’ve got plenty of options. My Pistachio Donuts are soft, fluffy, and packed with nutty pistachio flavor. For something cozy and spiced, try my Carrot Cake Donuts, which combine all the flavors of classic carrot cake in donut form. If you’re in the mood for breakfast baking, my Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins have those tall, bakery-worthy tops and are bursting with juicy blueberries. And if you love yeasted dough turned cakes as much as I do, my Cinnamon Rolls are always a favorite—soft, pillowy, and covered in plenty of cream cheese frosting.
Tag me if you make it!
I love seeing your creations, and it genuinely makes my day when one of my recipes ends up in your kitchen. If you bake this Glazed Donut Cake, be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see your beautiful results and share them with the community. Whether you make it in a Bundt pan or a 9×13-inch pan, I’d love to hear what you think! 💛🍩✨
Glazed Donut Cake
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 4 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 500g
- 3¼ tsp active dry yeast 10g
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 cup whole milk lukewarm (220ml)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 6 tbsp butter softened (85g)
Butter Topping
- 7 tbsp butter cold and cut into small cubes (100g)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Glaze
- 3 cups powdered sugar 360g
- 5 tbsp whole milk 75g
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted (14g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the lukewarm milk, yeast, and a couple tablespoons of the sugar. Let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy.
- Add the remaining sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg, egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and softened butter.
- Using the dough hook attachment, knead on medium speed for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- The dough will be somewhat sticky, but it should still be manageable. If it feels excessively sticky, sprinkle in a small amount of flour and knead gently. Avoid adding too much flour—the dough should remain slightly tacky.
- Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning it once to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Pan
- Generously grease either a 12-cup Bundt pan, or a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- You can also use a slightly larger rectangular pan, such as a 10×15-inch pan, if desired. The cake will simply bake up thinner.
Shape the Dough
- For a Bundt pan: Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a thick ring. Place it in the prepared Bundt pan and gently press it into an even layer.
- For a 9×13-inch pan: Transfer the dough directly to the pan and gently press and stretch it toward the edges. The dough stretches easily, so take your time working it into an even layer.
- Cover loosely and let rest for 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
Add the Butter Topping
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove the cover from the dough. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, a spatula handle, or your fingertips, make dimples all over the surface of the dough, pressing about 1/2 inch deep.
- Scatter the cold butter cubes evenly over the surface, nestling some into the dimples. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top.
Bake
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the internal temperature reaches 195°F to 200°F (90°C to 93°C).
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, slowly pour or brush the heavy cream evenly over the entire surface.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes.
Make the Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth.
- If needed, adjust the consistency by adding a teaspoon of milk at a time. The glaze should be thick but pourable.
Finish the Cake
- Pour the glaze over the warm cake, allowing it to drip down the sides and settle into the surface.
- Let the glaze set for about 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Storage
- Store leftovers tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For the best texture, remove the cake from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before serving. It stays remarkably soft even when chilled.