Glazed Buttermilk Donut Bundt Cake

If the thought of a classic cake donut is enough to make you salivate, this is one recipe you’re not going to want to pass up! This glazed buttermilk donut cake starts with an ultra-moist, tangy cake base and kicks things up a notch with a crisp vanilla glaze that locks in all that donut flavor.

Can anyone else relate?
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A few weeks ago my partner and I went out with two other couples for drinks and dinner. And while we both had a blast, we agreed that in a post-pandemic world, 6 people (including ourselves) was now the maximum number of people we were willing to get together with at any one time.

Yes, we’re really leaning into our introversion in this brave new world.

And so I’ve been re-evaluating my dessert baking proportions.

Do I really need my cakes to feed 16? In this 950 sq. ft. apartment? Absolutely not.

And if I make a full batch of two dozen cookies, will I serve a dozen and eat the rest myself? Yes. I will 100% be sitting on the counter later that evening, crumbs dusting the front of my sweater, effortlessly knocking back a dozen cookies.

So my latest dessert obsession has been scaling my treats back to easy, small group friendly sizes. Snack cakes and small batch cookies if you will.

And this half-size buttermilk donut bundt cake may be my new favorite.

Here’s how to make this cake

First, make the bundt cake.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

It’s important to give the egg/sugar mixture the benefit of a full whipping here as this is part of what will help your cake rise and give it that fluffy texture.

While you whip the eggs and sugar, whisk together the wet ingredients (oil, vanilla extract, buttermilk and sour cream) in one bowl and the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg) in another.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the egg/sugar mixture and whip on low until just combined. Pour all of the wet ingredients into the batter and, again, whip on low until just combined. Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.

Liberally grease a 6 cup bundt pan. Personally, I like to use a homemade pan release that’s equal parts vegetable oil, flour and vegetable shortening. It makes getting any cake out of its pan a breeze.

Bake the cake at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean (there shouldn’t be any raw batter, but there should be some baked crumbs).

Once the pan is cool enough to handle, turn the cake out onto a wire cooling rack.

Finally, glaze the cake.

In a measuring cup, whisk together the glaze ingredients (powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract) until lump free. The icing should be thick but not paste-like.

Place parchment paper under the cake/wire cooling rack. Pour the glaze over the cake, coating it completely.

If the ridges of the bundt cake are proving difficult to coat, you can gently roll the cake in the excess glaze that collects on the parchment paper.

Expert tips

• Buttermilk substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute the 1/3 cup called for in this recipe with 1/3 cup milk + 1 tsp white vinegar. Stir the milk and vinegar together and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
• Testing for doneness: Although tempting to wait until the toothpick comes out clean, doing so will likely lead to over-baking your cake. Instead, you want your toothpick to come out without any raw batter and with some cooked crumbs still clinging to it.
• Adjusting for a full-size bundt pan: For a full-size bundt pan, double the recipe and bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes.
• Storage: This cake can be covered and kept at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Better still, snap a photo and tag it on Instagram with #thesimplesweetlife. I love seeing your creations!

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