Description
Homemade Old Fashioned Cake Donuts bring pure comfort straight from your kitchen to the breakfast table. Crisp outside, tender inside, these classic treats make mornings delightful with simple ingredients and zero fancy equipment needed.
Ingredients
Scale
Flour and Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet and Binding Ingredients:
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup (180ml) sour cream
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frying and Glaze Ingredients:
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar
- ¾ tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine 2 ¼ cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly to distribute spices evenly.
- Cream 2 tablespoons softened butter with ½ cup granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and airy.
- Incorporate 2 egg yolks into the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until smooth and well-blended.
- Stir in ¾ cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend until ingredients are completely integrated.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture. Mix until a slightly sticky dough forms.
- Wrap the dough and refrigerate for minimum 60 minutes to firm up texture.
- Dust your work surface with flour. Roll the chilled dough to ½-inch thickness using a rolling pin.
- Cut dough into classic donut shapes using a donut cutter or two different-sized round cutters.
- Pour 2-3 inches of vegetable oil into a heavy pot. Heat to exactly 325°F (163°C) using a deep-fry thermometer.
- Carefully lower 2-3 donuts into hot oil. Fry for 11-12 minutes, turning once to ensure golden-brown color on both sides.
- Remove donuts with a slotted spoon. Place on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Prepare glaze by whisking 1 ½ cups powdered sugar with 3-4 tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- While donuts are still warm, dip each one into the glaze. Allow excess to drip off before placing on a cooling rack.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps prevent the donuts from absorbing too much oil during frying, ensuring a lighter texture.
- Use a deep-fry thermometer to maintain consistent oil temperature and achieve perfectly golden-brown donuts.
- For a gluten-free version, swap all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend and add an extra egg yolk for moisture.
- Avoid overcrowding the pot when frying, as this can lower the oil temperature and result in greasy donuts.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22-44 minutes
- Category: Donuts
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg