This quick, easy Pumpkin Cake Donut Recipe doesn't get any faster. With no yeast to wait for, these are ready in no time. They stay fresh for days. No cake donut pan? No problem. There's a work around below.
This old fashioned cake doughnut recipe was inspired by another fall favorite, Apple or Crumb Cake Doughnuts which I'm sure you'd enjoy also. All of the cake donuts are baked and not fried.
Crumb Topping Ingredients
Back Row: flour, brown sugar. Front Row: sugar, butter, salt
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Crumb Topping Instructions
Step 1. Butter, brown and granulated sugars, salt in a mixing bowl
Step 2. The butter, sugars and salt creamed together.
Step 3. Add the flour all at once and mix on medium to form crumbs. Don't over-mix or it will become a paste. Refrigerate until needed.
Pumpkin Cake Donut Ingredients
Front Row: vanilla, baking soda. Third Row: ginger, oil, pumpkin puree, nutmeg. Second Row: salt, cloves, baking powder, cinnamon. Front Row: vanilla, baking soda.
Pumpkin Cake Donut Instructions
Step 1. Spray 2 cake donut pans with a non-stick baking release and set aside. Alternatively, spray a 12 well, regular size muffin tin. Set aside.
Step 2. The dry ingredients for the pumpkin batter. Whisk together.
Step 3. The oil, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin puree and vanilla in the mixing bowl.
Step 4. Pumpkin batter mixed.
Step 5. The crumbs from above are divided between the 12 cake donut wells.
Step 6. Spoon or pipe the batter over the crumbs. It is easier to pipe the batter using a piping bag or heavy plastic food bag with the tip cut off.
Step 7. If using a muffin tin, place the crumbs on the bottom and fill about ¾ full.
Step 8. Baked cake donuts cooling on a rack before dusting with powdered sugar.
Storage
These will keep for several days at room temperature. The powder sugar may need to be replenished. For longer storage, freeze without the powdered sugar. Thaw at room temperature and then powder sugar.
Top Tip
If you don't have the cake donut pan, a regular size muffin tin will do. It will take a few minutes longer to bake because of the depth. Both will make 12.
Pumpkin Cake Donut Recipe
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (90 grams or 3 ounces)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams 1 ¾ ounces)
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar (50 grams or 1 ¾ ounces)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (90 grams or 3 ounces)
Pumpkin Cake Donut
- 1 ¼ cups flour (175 grams 6 ⅛ ounces)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed (200 grams or 7 ounces)
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree (170 grams or 6 ounces1 teaspoon vanilla)
- Powdered sugar as needed
Instructions
Crumb Topping
- Combine the butter and both sugars in a mixing bowl. Cream until very light.
- Whisk the salt and flour together; add all at once and beat on medium just until large crumbs form. Scrape down the sides and the bottom for unincorporated flour. If crumbs don't form, add a couple of teaspoons of water at a time to help them along. Mix briefly.
- Do not over mix or you will end up with a really thick cohesive mixture.Store the crumbs in the refrigerator while you make the cake.
Pumpkin Cake Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 2 6-hole doughnut pans or regular size muffin tins with a non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Combine the oil, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low until completely combined. Add the flour, all at once, and beat on medium until well blended.
- Divide the crumbs between the donut or muffin tins.
- Fill the wells of the donut or muffin tins just under the top. It is easiest to pipe this in because it is thick. Just cut about ½” off a plastic piping back or a heavy plastic food storage bag. Fill with batter and pipe it over the crumbs.
- Bake the donut for 12 to 15 minutes until a tester comes out clean or they spring back when lightly touched.
- Bake the muffin tins for 14 to 16 minutes.
- Cool for a few minutes, then release from the tins.
- Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar when cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Aparecida Buratto says
Obrigada Helen por está receita.
sallybr says
Made it today!
as usual, a winner!!!!!
Helen S Fletcher says
Thanks Sally. Loved that you tried them.
Nedda says
If you click on “print recipe” you will find it there. In Canada today we are celebrating Thanksgiving. I just bought new cake donut pans so finding this recipe in my inbox this morning was exciting. I always look forward to Helen’s recipes.
Pictures, tips, easy-to-follow instructions! Doesn’t get better than that,
Happy Thanksgiving!
In friendship,Nedda
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Nedda - Happy Thanksgiving!! Thanks for the kind words and for helping out. I was at work and don't have access to the internet.
Lynette Pruett says
Helen, I’m so happy you’ve written a post on pumpkin cake doughnuts, something I’ve had in mind to make for several weeks! However, I believe you’ve inadvertently omitted the actual recipe from this post! I’m anxious to make these TODAY!!!
Thanks for sharing!
Grumpy Chef says
Click on print recipe at the top of the page under the title, and it shows up.
Virginia says
If you press Print Recipe at the top of the post the recipe comes up.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Lynette. The recipe was in the post originally but a snafu caused it to go away. I worked today so wasn't able to address this right away and it took the IT peopl a bit to find the problem. If you hit the print button on the top the recipe appeared in print form. I only found that out from some of the readers. However, it's fixed now so all should be good.
Lynette Pruett says
Thanks, Helen! It’s on the list to bake tomorrow. I’m sure it will be great!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Lynette - sorry I couldn't get to you yesterday. But these are super easy so knowing you, you can whip them up in no time.