Baked Chocolate Donuts Using a Cake Mix (with glaze)

These moist chocolate baked donuts are super easy. They’re made with a cake mix, have a rich chocolate flavor and are covered in chocolate glaze and sprinkles.

These are so fun for both kids and adults and much easier and quicker than making traditional donuts. These donuts are made with a cake mix, which means they’re made without yeast and that makes them super convenient.

Chocolate baked donut with bite taken out.

Hey there! Before you scroll, there are lots of helpful things in this post…including an FAQ section, which may answer any questions you might have about this recipe. Enjoy!

Table of Contents:

You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen to get good chocolate baked donuts. Using a cake mix as the base makes this recipe so much easier than other recipes.

You’ll need a donut pan to make these, but they’re not expensive and then you can make homemade chocolate donuts any time you want them.

Baked donuts with chocolate glaze pin graphic.

Ingredient Notes:

Let’s talk a little bit about just some of the ingredients in this recipe. The full list of ingredients will be in the recipe card below. Also, check out the FAQ section to see other tips and ingredient questions.

Chocolate cake mix: This is the base of the donuts. I used a Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge cake recipe, but you could probably use any chocolate cake recipe that includes the same weight of cake mix. The two brands of cake mixes that I prefer are Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines.

Eggs, oil and milk: This will add additional moisture to the donuts. You really don’t need to set these out ahead of time to come to room temperature if you don’t have the time. I used them all cold and it worked out just fine.

Vanilla extract: This will just add a little extra flavor. I know it sounds weird to add vanilla to chocolate recipes, but it really does add flavor and it helps make the cake mix taste more like homemade.

Confectioner’s sugar: This will be used for the glaze and it’s what will make it sweet and what will thicken it.

Cocoa powder: This is used for the glaze and will give it a rich chocolaty flavor.

Corn syrup: This is optional, but it’s what will help firm up the glaze so it doesn’t transfer to everything around it. It doesn’t make it hard but will firm it up just enough to help keep things from being messy.

Top view of chocolate cake donuts on a rack.

Preparation and Mixing Method Notes:

Here’s a summary of preparing these donuts. The full instructions will be in the recipe card below.

First, you’ll want to make sure the oven is preheated to 350 degrees F. Then spray or grease two donut pans. I used two Wilton donut pans.

Sprayed donut pans.

Then you’ll add all the cake ingredients to a mixing bowl…

Cake donut ingredients in a glass bowl.

…and mix with an electric mixer until everything is well mixed.

Mixed donut ingredients in a glass bowl.

Next, fill each donut cavity only about 1/2 of the way full with the batter. You can do this by either spooning the batter into each donut space or you can transfer the batter to a ziplock bag or piping bag and pipe it into the donut pan cavities.

This recipe will make a lot of batter, so you’ll probably have leftovers after filling the pans the first time. Just cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Once the first round of donuts have baked and have been removed from the pans, just add the remaining batter to the pans and bake.

Batter added to donut pans.

You’ll bake these donuts in a preheated oven for 9-10 minutes. A toothpick inserted into a donut should come out with a few moist crumbs on it or clean. Make sure not to overbake as these will dry out on you if they’re baked too long.

Cooling chocolate donuts in pan.

Once the donuts are baked, set the pans onto a cooling rack for about 10 minutes and then remove the donuts from the pan and set them onto the cooling racks to cool completely.

While the donuts are cooling, you can prepare the glaze.

For the glaze, you’ll just mix up all the ingredients well and then make sure to cover it until you’re ready to use it.

Glaze ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.

Once the donuts have cooled completely, dunk them face down into the glaze mixture about halfway up the donut, then twist and lift the donut up and out of the glaze. Let the excess drip off a bit, then turn the donut face up and set onto a cooling rack.

Dunking the donuts into the glaze.

If the glaze starts to firm up too much while you’re dipping the donuts, just pop it in the microwave and heat for about 10 seconds and stir.

Setting glazed donut onto cooling rack.

Before the glaze firms up, you can go ahead and add sprinkles if desired.

Adding sprinkles to glazed donuts.

Let the donuts set up for about 10 minutes so that the glaze firms up just a bit.

Baked chocolate donuts cooling on a rack with glaze.
Chocolate baked donut with bite taken out.

Baked Chocolate Donuts Using a Cake Mix (with glaze)

These moist chocolate baked donuts are super easy, they’re made with a cake mix, have a rich chocolate flavor and are covered in chocolate glaze and sprinkles.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate baked donuts
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Total Time: 29 minutes
Servings: 20 donuts
Calories: 93kcal
Author: Kara @ Quick and Easy Baking

Ingredients

For the donuts:

  • 1 15.25 ounce box chocolate cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the glaze:

  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 ½ cup confectioners sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • 4 tablespoons milk (add additional tablespoons if needed)
  • chocolate or rainbow sprinkles (optional)
Have questions?Make sure to check out the Tips & FAQ section in the post!

Instructions

For the donuts:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or grease two donut pans.
  • Add the cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium, until well combined.
  • Fill each donut cavity about 1/2 of the way full with the batter. Either spoon the batter in or transfer the batter to a ziplock bag or piping bag and pipe it into the donut pan cavities.
    (If there is any leftover batter after filling the donut pans, cover it and place in the refrigerator. Once the first round of donuts are baked and removed from the pans, add the remaining batter to the pans and bake.)
  • Bake in a preheated oven for 9-10 minutes. A toothpick inserted into a donut should come out with a few moist crumbs on it or clean. Be careful not to overbake these, or they could end up dry.
  • Set the baked donut pans onto a cooling rack for about 10 minutes, then remove the donuts from the pan and set onto cooling racks to cool completely.
  • While the donuts are cooling, prepare the glaze.

For the glaze:

  • In a mixing bowl, add the melted butter, confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup and about three tablespoons of milk.
  • Mix well and check the consistency. If needed, add in another tablespoon of milk to thin the glaze.
  • Once the donuts are cool, dunk them face down into the glaze mixture about halfway up the donut, then twist and lift the donut up and out of the glaze.
  • Let the excess drip off a bit, then turn face up and set onto a cooling rack. Add sprinkles if desired. Let the donuts set up for about 10 minutes so that the glaze firms up just a bit.
    If the glaze starts to firm up too much while dipping the donuts, heat it in the microwave for about 10 seconds and stir.

Notes

Store leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutritional values are an estimate.
Make sure to check out the TIPS & FAQs for this recipe in the blog post, which may answer any questions you may have.
This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition

Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 68IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
Baking at higher elevation?You’ll need to make adjustments for high elevations. This website does not specialize in that type of baking. Please take time to research high elevation baking websites for adjustments that should be made.
DislaimersTo see food safety, allergy & nutrition disclaimers, go here: Disclaimers!

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Tips & FAQs:

What type of cake mix should I use?

You can use any chocolate cake mix, but I find that Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines works the best. I used Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge cake mix for this recipe.

Can I use any flavor cake mix?

Probably. I haven’t tested them all out, but in theory, it should work with any flavor.

I don’t have corn syrup. Can I omit that?

You can, but the corn syrup is what firms up the glaze, so it isn’t quite as messy.

Do I need to use sprinkles?

No, you don’t have to use sprinkles.

Do I need a donut pan to bake donuts?

In my experience, it’s best if you have a donut pan. I have seen tutorials online on how to make baked donuts using foil, but it just seems messy and they just won’t look as good. It’s worth experimenting if you’d like though.

Tip for preparing the donut pans:

Make sure to either spray the donut pans with non-stick baking spray or grease them with vegetable shortening. It could be difficult to get the donuts out of the pan if the pan isn’t prepared well.

How do you know when the baked donuts are done?

The donuts are done when a toothpick inserted into one comes out with either a few moist crumbs or clean. Be very careful not to overbake these. If the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs on it and no raw batter, go ahead and pull them out of the oven. You don’t need to bake longer so that the toothpick comes out clean.

How do I store these donuts and how long do they last?

Store leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

What’s the best way to serve/eat these donuts?

It’s best to serve or eat these donuts at room temperature and on the same day they’re baked or a day or two after that. Just like cupcakes, these will tend to dry out the longer they are kept especially if not covered in an air-tight container.

Top view of baked donuts on rack.

Supplies used for this recipe:

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

Baked chocolate cake donuts pin graphic with text.
Kara

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