Pink Valentine Cake Doughnuts

Celebrate love with these homemade pink Valentine cake doughnuts dipped in sweet vanilla glaze and topped with sprinkles. 

It is dessert? How about breakfast? It’s all both!

It’s one of the most amazing fried foods ever- the doughnut!

Valentine’s Day is coming up. I’m getting in the lovey-dovey spirit with these super cute and festive cake doughnuts.

Some girls want jewelry, maybe a dozen long stem roses, or even a box of chocolates.  

I’m a little different. Sure, I can’t turn down something that sparkles and glitters, but the way to my heart is through doughnuts!

Over the years, I’ve made quite a lot of baked donuts: green velvet donuts, orange and poppy seed mini donuts, baked chocolate-hazelnut crunch donuts.

For this holiday, I’m making real deal fried doughnuts! 

Cake Donuts

I love the way these doughnuts turned out. They’re so pretty!

Word of warning: the dough is really, really sticky. Don’t be afraid to sprinkle cake flour as needed when you’re rolling out the dough. Other than that, it’s easy-peasy.

There is something magical and alluring about doughnuts– especially because they are a sweet treat that is acceptable to eat any time of day!

Ingredients

For best results, measure dry ingredients by weight using a kitchen scale. If you prefer volume measurements, please measure flour using the spoon and level method.

This recipe uses a combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour. See recipe card for more details regarding flour substitutions. In addition to flour, you will need sugar, baking powder, salt, and eggs. Plus, the following ingredients:

• Shortening: Shortening adds fat without additional moisture. It gives the donut a crisp exterior and a soft interior crumb.
• Milk: Any kind of milk or non-dairy milk alternative works. Whole milk or 2% reduced fat milk is recommended.
• Spices: Traditional doughnut shop cake donuts are spiced with nutmeg. Nutmeg can be a bit overpowering on its own. As such, these cake donuts are spiced with a mixture of nutmeg and cinnamon.

Recipe Variations

Brown Butter Glaze: Dip the cake donuts in a delicious, nutty brown butter glaze. The thin glaze fills all the nooks and crannies of the donut.

Cinnamon Sugar Buttermilk Donuts: Slightly tangy buttermilk donuts tossed in cinnamon sugar. It’s another no-yeast donut!

Coconut Cake Donuts: Swap out the milk for coconut milk to make coconut cake donuts. Enhance the coconut flavors with a sweet coconut milk glaze and a generous sprinkles of dried shredded coconut on top!

Tools and Equipment

• 3.5-inch donut cutter (either 2.5-inch or 3 .5-inch)
• candy thermometer
• heavy bottomed pot (such as Dutch oven or cast iron pot)
• wire cooling rack

Donut Cutter

THIS DOUGH IS VERY STICKY! Generously flour your hands, your work surface, and the donut cutter often. 

(If you don’t have a donut cutter, simply use a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter paired with a 1-inch round cutter for the center.)

Candy Thermometer

It is important to use a candy thermometer to ensure even cooking.

Attach candy thermometer to frying pot to maintain proper cooking temperature. Oil temperature will fluctuate as you add raw dough to hot oil.

Heavy Bottom Pot

Choose a pot that retains heat well, such as a Dutch oven or a cast iron pot. This will help maintain even oil temperature resulting in more consistent cooked donuts.

Wire Cooling Rack

Set freshly glazed donuts atop wire cooling rack to allow any excess glaze to drip off. 

Fried donuts can be placed on paper towels to drain, or on a wire cooling rack. The rack allows for air flow, crisping up the cake donuts.

Step by Step Instructions

Donut Storage

As with all fried foods, these Valentine Cake Doughnuts are best served the same day they are fried. Ideally, you want to enjoy these donuts within hours of frying. 

Should you have any leftovers or plan to transport these donuts, store them in a breathable box (like a cardboard bakery box or container with the lid slightly ajar).

The glaze needs air circulation. Otherwise, it will melt and make the donuts soggy.