Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

Rating: 2.53 stars
17 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 4
  • 4 star values: 1
  • 3 star values: 3
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 8

Haven't you always wanted to make donuts at home? Try this recipe for chocolate cake donuts with icing to scratch that itch.

 By Jeannie
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Ingredients

30
Original recipe yields 30 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • All the ingredients should be at room temperature (70 degrees F). Beat the sugar and eggs together until creamy and lemon colored.

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  • Melt the butter and chocolate together in a small saucepan over low heat. Beat into the sugar and egg mixture.

  • In a separate bowl combine the vanilla and buttermilk. Stir into the sugar mixture.

  • Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir into the liquid mixture. Chill the dough slightly to make it easier to handle.

  • Roll out half the dough on a lightly floured board to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into doughnuts. Allow the cut doughnuts to dry for 10 minutes.

  • Heat 2 inches of oil to 370 degrees F (185 degrees C) in a large skillet. The dough should be at room temperature before frying. Dip a metal pancake turner into the hot oil each time before using it to move or turn a doughnut. Transfer the doughnuts to the skillet, one every 15 seconds. Fry each doughnut about 90 seconds per side. Remove the doughnuts and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dough.

  • To make the icing: Beat the sugar, egg white, and vanilla together until smooth. Drizzle onto the doughnuts after they have cooled.

Editor's Note

We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount may vary depending on cook time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
171 calories; 6.5 g total fat; 17 mg cholesterol; 156 mg sodium. 26.5 g carbohydrates; 2.7 g protein; Full Nutrition

Reviews (14)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

REBA1
Rating: 4 stars
05/21/2003
I loved these! They were so easy to make and tasted great. I was concerned that the doughnuts might be greasy because of previous comments I had read so I let mine sit for 30 minutes instead of 10 and it seemed to take care of the problem. Try these with chocolate icing! Yum! Read More
Helpful
(24)

Most helpful critical review

AmyfromIL
Rating: 3 stars
02/18/2006
If you're hankering for choco donut and will try this recipe despite bad reviews here's how I was able to get this recipe to work: After chilling dough 30 min "dough" resembled "batter" so I put a medium amount of flour on the counter. Then I used rubber scraper to scoop half batter out. Then I sprinkled flour on top of batter and used fingers to lightly press dough out. I floured biscuit cutter cut shape and scooted shape away from batter while still in cutter. Then I used a liter bottle cap to create hole. I used a floured heat-resistant spatula to slide under donut shape and slide into heated oil. After frying first batch I decided donut resembled deep-fat fried light and fluffy chocolate cake. The flavor was supreme but I wanted something easier to work with and denser. For the second batch I used remainder of first half of batter. I worked about 1/8 c. flour into batter and used a smaller biscuit cutter which helped make dough manageable and kept donut shape better. These changes brought this donut closer to fulfilling my expectations. I think with second half of batter I will try to mix in 1/4 c. of flour before turning it out onto floured surface aiming for dough similar to gingerbread cookie dough and fry it at a temp higher than 375. These donuts absorbed more grease than I like but flavor was still good. We ate them without icing. Read More
Helpful
(43)
17 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 4
  • 4 star values: 1
  • 3 star values: 3
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 8
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
REBA1
Rating: 4 stars
05/21/2003
I loved these! They were so easy to make and tasted great. I was concerned that the doughnuts might be greasy because of previous comments I had read so I let mine sit for 30 minutes instead of 10 and it seemed to take care of the problem. Try these with chocolate icing! Yum! Read More
Helpful
(24)
AmyfromIL
Rating: 3 stars
02/18/2006
If you're hankering for choco donut and will try this recipe despite bad reviews here's how I was able to get this recipe to work: After chilling dough 30 min "dough" resembled "batter" so I put a medium amount of flour on the counter. Then I used rubber scraper to scoop half batter out. Then I sprinkled flour on top of batter and used fingers to lightly press dough out. I floured biscuit cutter cut shape and scooted shape away from batter while still in cutter. Then I used a liter bottle cap to create hole. I used a floured heat-resistant spatula to slide under donut shape and slide into heated oil. After frying first batch I decided donut resembled deep-fat fried light and fluffy chocolate cake. The flavor was supreme but I wanted something easier to work with and denser. For the second batch I used remainder of first half of batter. I worked about 1/8 c. flour into batter and used a smaller biscuit cutter which helped make dough manageable and kept donut shape better. These changes brought this donut closer to fulfilling my expectations. I think with second half of batter I will try to mix in 1/4 c. of flour before turning it out onto floured surface aiming for dough similar to gingerbread cookie dough and fry it at a temp higher than 375. These donuts absorbed more grease than I like but flavor was still good. We ate them without icing. Read More
Helpful
(43)
FOOFY
Rating: 1 stars
10/17/2003
Was this recipe a prank? I just tried this recipe. I thought I made a mistake it was very runny so I threw the "dough" away and made it again with the same results. I even added 2 more cups of flour but still the dough was like cake mix as the previous review said. Don't waste your time on this one! Read More
Helpful
(28)
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REBA1
Rating: 4 stars
05/21/2003
I loved these! They were so easy to make and tasted great. I was concerned that the doughnuts might be greasy because of previous comments I had read so I let mine sit for 30 minutes instead of 10 and it seemed to take care of the problem. Try these with chocolate icing! Yum! Read More
Helpful
(24)
katymay
Rating: 1 stars
11/19/2008
haven't tried this yet but if they're soaking up too much grease it's because your grease is not hot enough. learned that from my Nana in texas where we fry everything Read More
Helpful
(12)
PEARLY2233
Rating: 1 stars
06/27/2003
I don't know if I did something wrong or not but when I mixed up the batter it was just like cake batter very runny. I put it in the fridge like the recipe said but there was no way it could be rolled out because of how runny it was. Did this happen to anyone else? Read More
Helpful
(12)
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Bekkah
Rating: 1 stars
05/22/2008
I followed the recipe exactly and ended up with a strange chocolate goo that more resembled batter than dough. Tasted alright after the attempted frying but it ended up soaking up a ton of oil. I chucked the recipe in the garbage. No offense it just wasn't the doughnut recipe I was looking for. Read More
Helpful
(10)
KLE1962
Rating: 5 stars
05/21/2003
A delicious recipe that makes doughnuts with fabulous texture and flavor. Preparation is simple. Read More
Helpful
(9)
ZURICHNEE
Rating: 1 stars
11/16/2002
I also found these to be very greasy. My regular doughnuts never soaked in this much grease. Read More
Helpful
(8)
ccdse
Rating: 3 stars
03/23/2006
I must say I did not have good luck with this recipe. My doughnuts turned out to be chocolate grease sponges.This problem is not with this recipe only though I have not had good luck with any chocolate doughnut recipes I have tried.My sugar doughnuts come out fine. Does anyone have advice for making chocolate doughnuts that are not greasy? Read More
Helpful
(7)
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