Whether you have these Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts for breakfast or a snack, they are sure to be delicious. Easy to make and fun to decorate with a sweet glaze and sprinkles!
Who doesn’t love donuts? Okay, I know there are a few that do not but you will love these chocolate cake mix donuts. The donuts are more like a fluffy cake and baked, not a fried donut. I’m not opposed to a good bakery style donut, it’s just sometimes, I don’t want to have to go out to get them. Like these Pumpkin Spice Glazed Donuts that I make probably once a month.
That’s where baking donuts at home comes in handy. Less mess, no frying, make whatever flavors you want, and decorate however you want. Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts with a sweet glaze and sprinkles was what I was craving. They’re also perfect to share for #ChocolateWeek with my fellow food bloggers. We’re sharing sweet chocolate recipes all week! Follow that hashtag!
What I’m Sharing This Week:
- Monday – Easy Black Forest Bundt Cake
- Wednesday – Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts (that’s today’s recipe!)
- Friday – Soft and Chewy Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts
Easy recipes are the best like this one. Take a cake mix and add a few other ingredients to it to bump up the flavors and bake. Cool and frost, or glaze and add sprinkles. This is also an easy recipe to have the kids in the kitchen to help bake.
While you will most likely have all of the ingredients on hand, you may need to get a set of donut pans. These are my favorite pans and have been used many times without fail.
What’s the difference between a cake donut and a regular donut?
A cake donut uses a cake-like batter that has a leavening agent (baking powder or baking soda) in to help the donuts rise. A regular donut uses yeast for the rising and is usually fried instead of baked like a cake donut.
What can I use instead of donut pan?
The best donut pan substitutes would be a muffin pan. Use some aluminum foil to make a donut mold, which will help to bake donuts into the right shape, with the hole in the middle.
Ingredients
- boxed chocolate cake mix
- large egg
- vegetable oil
- water
- powdered sugar
- half & half
- vanilla extract (love this one)
- sprinkles (these are similar to what I used: Valentine nonpareils and Heart Confetti Sprinkles
How to Make Easy Cake Mix Donuts
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray donut pans with nonstick cooking spray and set them aside.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix, egg, vegetable oil, and water. Mix until combined.
Little side note about my mixing bowl. It was a wedding gift from a family member and it’s held up over 30 years!
Step 3
Using a large piping bag, or a large ziploc bag, fill the donut pans up about 3/4 of the way with donut batter.
Step 4
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the donuts are baked all the way through.
Let the baked chocolate donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 5
To make the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar a bit of the half and half and the vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Spoon the glaze over the tops of the donuts. Top with sprinkles. Allow to set before serving. Store donuts in an airtight container.
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
- Not a chocolate fan? There is a variety of cake mixes out there pick one, or two! Grab your favorite!
- Substitute melted (and cooled) coconut oil for the vegetable oil.
- Other toppings in place of the sprinkles can include chopped, nuts, crushed cookie pieces, small candies, etc.
- Can use milk or your choice of milk in place of the half and half.
- Flavor the glaze with another extract flavoring.
- Prefer a chocolate glaze? Melt chocolate chips with some heavy cream for a chocolate ganache.
- No donut pan? No problem! Use some aluminum foil to make a donut mold, which will help to bake donuts into the right shape, with the hole in the middle.
Other great cake mix recipes to enjoy
Printable Chocolate Cake Donuts Recipe
Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- sprinkles
For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 – 3 tablespoons half and half cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray donut pans with nonstick cooking spray and set them aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix, egg, vegetable oil, and water. Mix until combined.
- Using a piping bag or a large ziplock bag, fill the donut pans up about 3/4 of the way with donut batter.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the donuts are baked all the way through.
- Let them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- To make the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, half and half and the vanilla extract. Spoon the glaze over the tops of the donuts. Top with sprinkles. Allow to set before serving.If your glaze it too thick, add a bit more half and half. Or, if it's too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Notes
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
- Not a chocolate fan? Use whatever flavor cake mix you like.
- Other toppings in place of the sprinkles can include chopped, nuts, crushed cookie pieces, small candies, etc.
- Can use milk or your choice of milk in place of the half and half.
- Flavor the glaze with melted chocolate or another extract flavoring.
- No donut pan? No problem! Use some aluminum foil to make a donut mold, which will help to bake donuts into the right shape, with the hole in the middle.
More Chocolate Recipes
- Cake in a Jar from Devour Dinner
- Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts from Blogghetti
- Chocolate Chip Brownies from That Recipe
- Chocolate Chip Pecan Shortbread Cookies from Shockingly Delicious
- Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Chocolate Funnel Cakes from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Chocolate Pomegranate Crostini from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Ferrero Rocher Ice Cream from The Fresh Cooky
- No Bake S’mores Pudding Pie from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Peanut Butter Cup Brownies from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- White Chocolate Mousse with Raspberries from The Redhead Baker
- White Chocolate Strawberry Bombs from Magical Ingredients
- White Chocolate Strawberry Muddy Buddies from An Affair from the Heart
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What a fun and pretty Valentine’s treat. I think I have all I need on hand to make them.
I love any excuse to break out the donut pans! Love the sprinkles!
What a perfect Valentine treat!
I just love those sprinkles so much!! I can’t wait to break out the doughnut pan and make these.
Tasty and adorable! My favorite kind of treat!
Such a great idea to make these with a cake mix!
Stay in my jammies and have donuts, yes please and so easy that they are started with a cake mix! Definitely making soon!
Making donuts at home is so much fun! Love the cute holiday sprinkles too.
This is a delicious idea! This will be a great breakfast for Valentine’s Day! Love the sprinkles!
I love baked donuts! But I’ve never used a cake mix to make them. I’m so trying this next time I want to make some. And those sprinkles look super fun!
Are the egg, oil, and water the same as called for on the cake mix you used? I want to try them with a gluten free cake mix.
No, it isn’t the same as the back of the cake mix box. If your cake mix is at least 15 ounces, you should be fine using the ingredients as listed.