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Hi Bold Bakers!
Spring is here again which is the perfect time for carrot cake. We all know how to make regular carrot cake so why not mix it up a little and make Carrot Cake Donuts! And you won’t believe how good they are baked instead of fried. This recipe is a 2 for one, as I’ll also show you an awesome trick for how to make your own donut pan!
Why to bake donuts instead of fry them?
Baked donuts are better than fried because I find you get so many variations. While fried donuts can be quite a process and involve a yeasted dough and lots of hot oil, these Carrot Cake Donuts are made of a rich batter then baked to perfection! I like using this same method to make Baked Chocolate Donuts. Plus, I even made No-Knead Baked Donuts that I think rival any fried one you’ll find.
How to make your own donut pan
Now, if you don’t have one of those pans for baking donuts then fear not! With all of my recipes I would never ask you to go buy anything that was out of the ordinary, which I think a donut pan is. I don’t like equipment in my kitchen that has only one use. I don’t have space for that. The solution I came up with was simply make my own tin with some foil and a cupcake tin. You can see a video here on How to Make Your Own Donut Pan.
How to glaze Carrot Cake Donuts?
No donut, no matter what flavor, is complete without a glaze! Just like carrot cake is classically topped with cream cheese frosting these Baked Carrot Cake Cupcakes are slathered with a rich cream cheese frosting. Then, to top it all off I add toasted coconut, making these a little hand held pieced of donut heaven!
How to store Carrot Cake Donuts
These lovely little Carrot Cake Donuts will disappear fast! If you happen to have any left over cover and store them in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Enjoy!
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Watch The Recipe Video!
Carrot Cake Donuts
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (3floz/90ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2oz/ 45g) butter, melted
- 1 cup (5oz/150g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg , freshly grated
- 1/4 cup (2oz/60g) sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (3oz/90g) carrots, freshly grated (about 2 carrots)
- Frosting
- 4 tablespoons (2oz/60g) butter
- ¼ cup (2 oz/60g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup (3oz/90g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Garnish
- ½ cup (3oz/90g) finely shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl whisk together the milk, vinager, cooled melted butter, honey, sugar, egg and vanilla.
- Once all of the wet ingredients are combined add in the grated carrot.
- Next add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and salt.
- Grease a donut pan (or make your own) then fill a piping bag or plastic bag with the tip snipped off with the carrot cake batter.
- Pipe the batter evenly into the pan, filling each about 2/3 of the way full.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 1 minute before turning out the pan to remove donuts. Place donuts on a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile prepare the glaze. In a microwavable bowl, melt the butter.
- Whisk in the cream cheese until it is almost smooth. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl, add in the vanilla extract and stir until you have a smooth glossy frosting. Set aside.
- Toast the coconut over low heat in a skillet until lightly browned then set aside
- Once donuts have cooled completely (about 15-20 minutes) dunk each donut in the frosting, then turn in a circle to ensure half the donut is liberally frosted.
- Place on a cooling rack and sprinkle with toasted coconut
- If storing leftovers, lightly cover if at all.
Hi! Have you tried this recipe with a milk substitute like almond or other nut/seed milk? If a substitute works, I’m so ready to make this!
Also, “vinegar” is misspelled in the beginning instruction part of this recipe. No biggie. 😉
TY I love all of your recipes and videos.
I love this recipe. I made it once with pumpkin spice but it was not enough pumpkin flavored. I would like to add some pumpkin purée, too. Can I do this replacing the egg?
Delicious! I love the combination of the carrot cake doughnut with the cream cheese frosting and the toasted coconut. I like to experiment with recipes and I may try these again with raisins in the dough and a simple vanilla glaze on top. I have a doughnut pan and this recipe yielded 6 doughnuts. I had to make it again to get the dozen that I needed.
Hi Gemma! I would like to ask if its okay to substitute milk and vinegar with sour cream in this recipe. Thank you.
These are absolutely delicious!!
I will try these for sure. I had a recipe for carrot cake that was amazing. Instead of the carrots, it used carrot baby food. I think 2nd stage jars but I lost the recipe.
Hi Gemma
Can you sub the egg in this recipe?
Delicious !!
Hi gemma love the recipe but can you please tell me how can i fry them . I have no oven to bake them. Please share the fry method thanks xoxo