Homemade Cake Donuts

4.50 from 2 votes

These Homemade Cake Donuts are dense, tender, and taste like a classic cake donut. These old-fashioned donuts are flavored with buttermilk, vanilla, almond extract, and a little nutmeg. They’re fried until deep golden brown and are especially good dunked into a cup of coffee.

Prep Time30

Cook Time3

Total Time33

Servings: donuts

Author: Miranda Couse

Ingredients

1/3 cup salted butter room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
8 1/2 - 9 cups all-purpose flour divided
vegetable oil to fill pot 3 inches

Instructions

Add enough vegetable oil in a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed deep pan for the oil to be 3 inches deep. Place the pan over medium heat and let it come up to 375 degrees F using a candy thermometer. You can also use a deep-fat fryer if you have one.
In a large stand mixer bowl, add 4 cups of flour, butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, almond extract, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix on low with the paddle attachment until well combined.
Gradually mix in as much flour as needed to make the dough easy to handle, about 4 to 4 1/2 additional cups.
Knead on a clean, floured countertop 2 to 3 times or until the dough comes together.
Roll the dough out to 3/8 inch thickness on a floured surface. Flour a donut cutter and cut out donuts.
Carefully place the cutout donuts into the hot oil, 2 to 3 at a time. Fry for 1 1/2 minutes on each side until golden brown. It's very important to keep your oil at 375. If it's too hot, the inside will be raw, and the outside will be done. If it's too cold, the donuts will be super oily.
Using tongs or a slotted utensil, remove donuts from the hot oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to cool. If you want to coat the donuts with sugar, do it while the donuts are hot.
Repeat with the rest of the donuts and donut holes. The donut holes will be much quicker to fry up.
Enjoy warm or store in an airtight container once they're cooled completely.

Notes

Soured milk is 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Let it sit for 5 - 7 minutes.

This recipe was adapted from Land O' Lakes.

Nutrition