Pumpkin Cake Donuts
The MOST HEAVENLY pumpkin donuts! So moist, they just melt-in-your mouth! Coated in melted butter and cinnamon sugar. It’s perfection!
Pumpkin spice lattes. Pumpkin cheesecake. Pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin cupcakes. Pumpkin bread. Pumpkin scones.
You would think I’ve OD’d on pumpkin by now but I still need more pumpkin this season, and these donuts hit that mark just perfectly.
It’s a cross between pumpkin bread and a donut. So really, it’s just a piece of cake in disguise in donut form.
It’s soft, it’s crumbly, it’s melt-in-your-mouth heaven.
And when you coat it in cinnamon sugar and melted butter – oh. my. goodness. You’ll pray for Fall to stay and never ever leave us.
I already skipped dinner and had four of these.
Don’t tell Ben. We said we were doing the wedding diet together but I broke a few days ago. Sorry!
Pumpkin Cake Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a donut pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil on medium-high until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla until just combined. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture at low speed, beating just until incorporated.
- Using a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip or a large Ziplock bag with the corner cut off, pipe the batter evenly into the donut pan. Place into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until donuts are slightly browned and spring back when touched.
- In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- When the donuts are done, cool for 10 minutes and brush the tops with butter, gently tossing in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Did you make this recipe?
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Super amazing. My only comment is that this recipe definitely makes 24 (not 12) donuts. And I only ever bake them for 8 minutes and they are done. I just have a standard donut pan that makes 12. Not sure what she uses – maybe they’re gigantically sized or something. I find that if you overfill cake donuts, they’ll come out as muffins. Anyway, mine are perfectly sized and I get 24.
I haven’t served these a single time when the guests didn’t call later for the recipe. An A+ winner!!!
Can’t believe it’s been over a year since we made your pumpkin donuts. Everyone that had one raved about it. Love Damn Delicious recipes!!!
I was impressed how crunchy they were on the outside, yet light and moist on the inside.
What is the best way to store these?
These are so easy to make and are incredibly delicious! I have trouble not eating all at once after I make them!
Really tasty! Didn’t have donut pans but this really looked and had the texture of muffin batter, so I just used muffin tins and they turned out beautifully!
Oh my gosh these are soooooooo yum! Love to play with recipes so I subbed 1 cup flour with 1/2 cup almond flour and 1/2 cup walnut flour and left out granulated sugar. Still awesome! So then I subbed pumpkin with avocado and Some baking cocoa and threw in some chocolate chips. They were yummy too! Thanks for the great recipe! Now I am going to share some of these doughnuts with friends and family ❤️
awesome recipe. the first time I followed as is and used the donut pan but also used mini muffin tins. this time I used all mini muffin tins, and used a 2 T. scoop to fill each one. I didn’t have dark brown sugar so I used light brown with about 2 T. molasses. The first time I used pumpkin pie spice. My second time I used spices that I use in my pumpkin bread recipe, 1/2 tsp ea of nutmeg, clove, and ginger and 1 tsp cinnamon. I baked ~15-20 min to see a bit of browning. And to roll the donuts after dipping in butter, I used raw sugar instead of granulated, as it is more coarse and I found it stuck to the donuts without melting away. I froze in portions of 3 donuts and even after thawing, the raw sugar coating remained in tact. so easy to grab and go for a treat with your morning coffee.
Omg this just filled my fall/pumpkin craving! These were great! The only thing I always have trouble with is the sugar coating. I got some but not a lot like I expected. But did use the powdered sugar too on half of he donuts. Will be baking these again!!
These donuts are amazing!! They melt in your mouth, are very light and moist. And easy to make, thank you!!
This was so delicious I made muffins 12 came out and the rest I put on a loaf pan I also made my pumpkin spice I had all the ingredients and didn’t not have time to go to the store and purchase the one made already. I will definitely be making these for my family and gatherings they are so moist so yummy like I’m glad I came upon this receipt thanks to you guys , I don’t have donut pans to i myself thought that they will look cute in that form but I compromised and I was a very happy camper thanks again I have tried quite a few of ur recipes and they never disappoint keep me coming thanks you again
I ordered the pans you recommend from Amazon and my kids made these tonight they were amazing .They finished them with powdered sugar other than that the recipe was the same we even left some plain and they still were fantastic .I gave all my friends and family your cookbook last year for Christmas,thanks again for another great recipe
That’s great! Thank you for sharing with us Theresa!
Thanks, Chungah, for your previous reply. I purchased the donut pans you recommended. This recipe worked exactly as written. More cake than donut–soft and tender. Indeed, Damn Delicious. So, now that I own the donut pans, what other donut recipes do you have for us? Please and Thank you, Kate
Here is another favorite of mine! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2017/10/06/baked-pumpkin-donuts-with-maple-glaze/
Thank you! How about Lemon? Or Chocolate??
These are fabulous! I made them in mini muffin tins and baked at 425 for 10-11 minutes. Recipe made about 40.
Thank you for your feedback, Susan!
This is such a great recipe! I have made these twice in 3 weeks! They are so moist and tender and stayed fresh for days!
So great to hear, Krissy!
Do not have donut pans so I just made in muffin pans on a little smaller scale. Got 14 muffins and they are scrumptious! Am freezing most of them to cozy up our evenings. Love them.
This looks so good i can’t wait to make it
They are to die for. You’ll love them!
Has anyone tried this freeform on a cookie sheet?
looks lovely, is it possible to have a fried versuion of the donuts?. thank you
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, we cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
ok then, i will try any ways and if it works out well i will gladely share with you guys. Thanks for the quick feedback.
Have a picture of a donut pan?
Not at this time. Sorry!