These baked blood orange donuts are all natural in color and such a delicious treat!
I’ve always associated citrus with summertime. Ice cold lemonades and limeades conjure up memories of childhood summers. However, winter is the peak season for citrus fruits!
Winter needs as much pops of color as possible. That’s why I love blood oranges so much. I love the anticipation of slicing into them and seeing the beautiful colors inside.
Sometimes they’re super bright orange, other times a rich dark red. But the best ones have that fancy ombre thing going on with reds, pinks, and oranges.
Inspiration
I love making these Valentine’s cake donuts during this time of the year. Pink food gel color and a ton of sprinkles are responsible for that festive color. However, this time, I want to take the natural route.
These blood orange donuts are all natural! That nice pink hue? Yes, that’s real. No dyes, artificial coloring, or chemicals! And candied blood orange slices as a pretty and edible garnish.
The flavors of this blood orange olive oil cake serves as the inspiration behind this donuts! You may want to make a double batch of candied oranges. Use extras to top yogurt, oatmeal, and ice cream. Plus, the soaking syrup is a fabulous sweetener for tea, coffee, or cocktails.
Ingredients
This is a small batch recipe that only makes 6 donuts! There are three components to this treat: 1) cake donut, 2) blood orange glaze, and 3) candied blood orange pieces.
The cake donut is flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. It is moistened with vegetable oil and buttermilk. You may sub in your choice of neutral flavored oil and your choice of milk. You’ll need the standard baking ingredients of flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and eggs.
Mix together fresh squeezed blood orange juice and powdered sugar (aka confectioners’ sugar) to make the glaze topping.
The candied blood orange segments are truly the pièce de résistance of these donuts! It’s a garnish that brings much flavor as well as visual appeal. It’s easy to make, but does require some patience. You simply need water, sugar, honey, and thinly sliced blood oranges.
Blood Orange Season
Blood oranges are typically in season from November through April, peaking during the winter months. Their limited availability makes them a sought-after ingredient for winter treats.
Assembly
Start by making the candied oranges because they take the longest time. Then, you can move on to mixing the donut batter once.
You will need a standard size donut baking pan. No stand mixer or electric hand mixer needed. Easily mix together the cake batter by hand.
Use a pastry bag or spoon to fill the donut pan with batter. Fill the molds only 75% full. They will puff up in the oven. Cool donuts to room temperature before glazing.
Storage and Leftovers
While traditional fried donuts (especially these cinnamon sugar twist doughnuts) will always have a giant piece of my heart, sometimes I don’t want to deal with heating a pot of oil. These blood orange donuts may be baked, but they taste just as decadent as their fried counterparts.
These donuts are best enjoyed the same day they are baked and glazed. Keep any leftovers in a covered container at room temperature for up to three days. Keep in mind that donuts will stale and harden over time.
More Orange Desserts
- Orange Earl Grey Tarts with pistachios
- Marmalade Cake with Orange Blossom Buttercream
- Orange Cardamom Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Orange Juice Cake
Baked Blood Orange Donuts
Ingredients
Candied Blood Oranges
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar, (200 g)
- ½ cup honey
- 1 blood orange, thinly sliced
Donut
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, (130 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup granulated sugar, (100 g)
- 2 Tablespoon light brown sugar, (25 g)
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoon vegetable oil, or other neutral oil of choice
- 3 Tablespoon buttermilk, or milk
Blood Orange Glaze
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar, (190 g) sift if clumpy
- finely grated zest of half a blood orange
- pinch fine sea salt
- 3 Tablespoon fresh squeezed blood orange juice, or more depending on desired consistency
Instructions
Candied Blood Orange
- In a medium heavy bottomed saucepot, combine water, sugar and honey. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves.
- Once syrup has come to a boil, add orange slices. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes until orange slices are tender and syrup is fragrant.
- Remove orange slices from syrup and transfer to a parchment lined sheet tray. Arrange slices in a single layer and allow to cool. Strain syrup and save to sweeten tea, cocktails, coffee, etc.
Donut
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Coat donut pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, vegetable oil, and buttermilk. Add wet mixture to dry flour mixture. Stir to combine until there are no longer than dry streaks of flour. Try not to overmix.
- Spoon batter into prepared donut pan. Fill molds about ¾ full of batter. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the donuts have puffed up. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 2 minutes before inverting and unmolding. Allow donuts to cool to room temperature on wire rack before glazing.
Blood Orange Glaze
- Whisk together powdered sugar, orange zest, salt and 3 tablespoons of blood orange juice. Adjust thickness by adding additional orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Assembly
- Dip cooled donuts into glaze. Garnish with a piece of candied orange. Place glazed donuts on wire rack to allow glaze to set.
Notes
- *I used this 6-cavity donut pan.
- Regular oranges may be used in place of blood oranges.
- Candied blood orange soaking syrup can last a week in the fridge.
- Donuts are best enjoy the same day they are baked and glazed. Keep leftovers in a covered container at room temperature for up to three days. Overtime, donuts will stale and harden.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Oh man, I want about five of these right now!! I’m so jealous of all the blood orange recipes I’ve been seeing because I haven’t been able to find any in any of my stores. It’s like they forgot to send blood oranges to the entire state of NJ! I ordered some from a produce delivery service but theirs only had a run or Redon the edges and that was it. So disappointing. Once I get my hands on some I’m going to make these for Valentines Day (I’m totally going to be my own valentine so I can eat them all! )
What?! No blood oranges in NJ?! Luckily blood oranges are in season until spring. I hope you find some before then! :)
These are the perfect way to brighten up a dreary winter day!
Yessss! :)
I was just wondering about the texture of the donut. Is it light and fluffy like a donut? Or is it more like bread, or muffin, or cake?
It’s like a cake donut. The batter is very similar to a muffin batter.
Maryanne:
the recipe is MARVELLOUS!!!!!!
Thanks Carmen!! :)
Right! that’s it, I’m buying a donut pan…..
Yes, get one! I use it more than my muffin/cupcake tin!
i agree that winter needs more color. These are so pretty, Maryanne! Just lovely!
Thanks Jen! :)
These are TOO CUTE! Just stunning, and so bright in the midst of winter! I’m jealous because I wish I had made them myself.
Whenever I see the words “TOO CUTE”, all I can think about is the show on Animal Planet. Anyway, you still have time to make them! Blood oranges will be around for a little longer :)
These are beyond pretty! Your presentation is stunning :)
Thank you! :)
GAH these are beautiful.
I’m obsessed with blood oranges this time of year. Can’t get enough!
Thanks Lindsay! Me too! Now… if only I could grow a blood orange tree in my backyard. That’d be the dream!
The pictures turned out sinful! I’m in love with how the icing is dripping down the sides. And the pop of the blood orange is beautiful :)
Thanks Kathleen! Blood orange juice makes the prettiest pink icing everrr!