Easy Cake Mix Donuts

Do you like moist, sweet, tender donuts? Then you’ll love these super simple cake mix donuts!

You can make them in all different flavors with whatever cake mix you prefer. Then, find a tasty topping to make them extra special.

The Best Cake Mix Donuts Recipe

Cake mix donuts are a simple blend of boxed cake mix, oil, eggs, and milk. When smooth, you’ll pipe the batter into donut pans and bake until tender.

And I love this recipe because you can so easily change the flavors.

For example, you can use chocolate, yellow, spiced, lemon, strawberry, carrot, funfetti, or fudge cake mix.

But that’s not all! You can also use any number of tasty glazes to make them irresistible (I have a bunch of recipes below)!

My favorite option is to make regular vanilla donuts, then make a few different glazes and top them with fun sprinkles.

Before we get to the glazes, here are the ingredients and a quick rundown of the method.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these scrummy treats:

• Cake Mix (any flavor): Serves as the base for the donuts, providing flavor, structure, and leavening.
• Large Egg: Acts as a binding agent and provides moisture, aiding in structure and rise.
• Oil: Adds moisture and fat to the recipe, ensuring a tender crumb.
• Milk: Adds moisture and helps to activate the cake mix, making the batter smooth.
• Vanilla Paste: Enhances flavor and aroma, complementing the cake mix.
• Optional Extras (chopped nuts, sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, etc.): For texture, color, and additional flavors.

How to Make Cake Mix Donuts

This recipe makes 18 donuts (three 6-cavity donut pans). You can also make mini donuts!

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease the donut pans.
2. Mix the egg, oil, milk, and vanilla in a bowl.
3. Add the cake mix and whisk until smooth.
4. Pipe batter into donut pans, filling 3/4 full.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes for large donuts and 8-10 for minis, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool in pans briefly, then transfer to a wire rack.
7. Dip in glaze and add optional decorations.

Donut Glaze Recipes

A glaze is usually a mixture of powdered sugar with milk or water. That’s a super basic and deliciously sweet choice.

Of course, we’re not about simple here - so I’ve got a few tasty options.

Just keep this in mind: to make any glaze, you can mix powdered sugar with any liquid. That means fruit juices, peanut butter, maple syrup, etc.

Mix until it’s smooth, and dip in the donuts!

How thick or thin should it be? Well, it’s kind of a trial-and-error thing. You want it runny enough that you can dip the donuts easily but not so runny it doesn’t firm up on the top.

If it looks like frosting, it’s too thick. You want it more like sweet chili sauce consistency.

The best option is to make a batch and test it on a donut. See how it sets and adjust as needed.

NOTE: For all the glaze recipes below, simply add everything into a bowl and mix until smooth.

Vanilla Glaze

• 175 grams of Powdered Sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 2-3 tablespoons of Milk or Water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of Vanilla Paste

Funfetti Glaze

• 175 grams of Powdered Sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 2-3 tablespoons of Milk or Water
• 1 drop of Food Coloring
• 1 tablespoon of Sprinkles

Chocolate Glaze

• 175 grams of Powdered Sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 4 tablespoons of Cocoa Powder
• 3-4 tablespoons of Milk
• 1 teaspoon of Vanilla

Maple Glaze

• 175 grams of Powdered Sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 1-2 tablespoons of Milk or Water
• 3-4 tablespoons of Maple Syrup

Salted Caramel Glaze

• 175 grams of Powdered Sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 1-2 tablespoons of Milk or Water
• 3-4 tablespoons of Caramel
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

Cinnamon Glaze

• 175 grams of Powdered Sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 1-2 tablespoons of Milk or Water
• 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla Paste

Peanut Butter Glaze

• 175 grams of Powdered Sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 3-4 tablespoons of Milk or Water
• 2 tablespoons of Creamy Peanut Butter

Fruit Glaze

• 150 grams of Powdered Sugar (1 cup)
• 1 ½ tablespoons of Lemon Juice
• 2 ½ teaspoons of *Fruit puree or Compote

*Fruit Puree - you can find fruit purees in the freezer section of supermarkets. Or cook your choice of fruit in a saucepan with 1/2 the amount of sugar until reduced. Strain and use in the glaze.

Recipe Variations

I said before that you can use any flavor cake mix and any extras you like. And that’s true!

But if you’re stuck for ideas, don’t stress. I have a few fun flavor combinations below.

Absolutely, here are five variations for your cake mix donut recipe:

1. Vegan Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts

• Modifications: Replace the egg with a “flax egg” (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water). Use plant-based milk and a vegan chocolate cake mix.
• Additional Ingredients: Add vegan chocolate chips as an optional extra.
• Oil: Use coconut oil.

2. Lemon-Blueberry Cake Mix Donuts

• Modifications: Use a lemon cake mix and replace the vanilla paste with lemon zest.
• Additional Ingredients: Add 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries to the batter.
• Oil: Use olive oil for a fruitier taste.

3. Strawberry Shortcake Donuts

• Modifications: Use strawberry cake mix.
• Additional Ingredients: After baking and cooling, dip in vanilla frosting and top with a shortbread cookie crumble.
• Oil: Stick with a neutral oil like canola.

4. Banana Nut Donuts

• Modifications: Use yellow cake mix and replace the egg with mashed banana.
• Additional Ingredients: Add 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts to the batter.
• Oil: Use walnut oil to emphasize the nutty flavor.

5. Spiced Apple Cake Mix Donuts

• Modifications: Use spice cake mix and replace half of the oil with applesauce.
• Additional Ingredients: Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
• Oil: Use grapeseed oil for a neutral flavor that won’t compete with the spices.