Forget lining your pan with parchment paper - line it with cinnamon sugar! This technique takes a basic butter cake and turns it into the most amazing Donut Cake. The cake is light and fluffy, and surrounded on all sides by a delicious layer of cinnamon sugar. You'll be eating this straight from the pan warm - it's that good!
Hi hi! Just popping in to share this donut cake recipe with you! When I was making my spice cake recipe, which I top with cinnamon sugar, I tried a non-spiced version and instead of lining the pan with parchment, I lined the entire thing with a layer of crunchy cinnamon sugar.
The result was amazing - a fluffy donut cake, covered with a layer of crunchy sugar. It is super easy to make, but the sugar in the pan trick is just enough to elevate it to something very magical. We ate the whole thing out of the pan in the first day, it's just that good.
Like the spice cake, this is a twist on my butter cake recipe, which is a super versatile girlie - a tender and fluffy cake, made with sour cream. This donut cake is so good it deserved its own post though!
The trick to a donut cake - line the pan with sugar!
There's something about a cinnamon sugar donut that I love so much, so I wanted to channel that for this donut cake. Instead of lining the pan with parchment paper which I usually do, I generously coated the pan in butter, then dusted it in cinnamon sugar which I made with turbinado / demerara / whatever your name is for the crunchy raw sugar.
While this does make it a tiny bit more work in terms of taking the extra step to line the pan and being careful to smooth the batter down so that it doesn't take too much of the sugar off the sides, it is very very worth it.
I used a non-stick pan (mine is the brand USA pan) and made it in an 8" (20cm) pan rather than my butter cake recipe which is made in a 9" (23cm) pan so a little thinner. I wanted a nice thick fluffy cake. I haven't tried this with any other kinds of pan sorry but I would go for a non-stick one to give you the best chances of a smooth removal!
My Favourite way to eat leftover donut cake
When I was a kid we used to get these little cinnamon sugar donuts from the supermarket, and would always microwave them until they were screaming hot. I often pop leftover cake in the microwave if it is after the day that I made it, and this donut cake microwaved is next level. I start with about 20 seconds and go from there!
How to slice a donut cake to get it out of the pan?!
Because this donut cake isn't made in a lined pan, you do have to be a little more careful when you are removing it from the pan. The main thing that I try to watch is that i'm not scratching my non-stick pan, so I cut it with a plastic bench scraper then use a plastic spatula to get the first piece out. Once the first piece is out it is fairly easy to get out of the pan.
You can also turn the whole thing out - if the cake is cooled it should manage this ok, but you might damage the crackly top. You do you here. We often just eat it out of the pan.
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Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Fluffy Cinnamon Sugar Donut Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Forget lining your pan with parchment paper - line it with cinnamon sugar! This technique takes a basic butter cake and turns it into the most amazing Donut Cake. The cake is light and fluffy, and surrounded on all sides by a delicious layer of cinnamon sugar. You'll be eating this straight from the pan warm - it's that good!
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar
- 60g raw / turbinado sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Donut Cake
- 150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 320g granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 2 large eggs (about 110g, not including the shell), at room temperature
- 165g sour cream, at room temperature
- 250g all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt (use less if you are using table salt or salted butter)
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 330°f / 165°c. Combine the raw sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Grease an 8" (20cm) square baking pan well with butter. Dust the pan with cinnamon sugar, making sure that you get a generous coating on every side of the pan. Shake the remaining cinnamon sugar back into the bowl - this will be used to top the cake with. Place the pan in the fridge until you are ready to fill it - this lets the butter set and helps to prevent it from coming off as much when you are adding the batter.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium to high speed until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing to combine between each, then beat the mix for a further 2-3 minutes on high speed until it has thickened up, and is very light.
- Measure out the sour cream into a small bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and the sour cream, starting and ending with the flour - add the flour in three additions and the sour cream in two, and briefly mix between additions. Switch to a spatula and give the mixture a few turns to ensure that it is evenly mixed.
- Transfer the mix to the prepared pan and smooth down with a spatula or the back of a spoon, making sure that there are no large air bubbles in the mixture.
- Sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining cinnamon sugar.
- Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes, until the middle springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the pan. Slice into pieces using a plastic knife or scraper (if you are using a non-stick pan).
- Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I like to microwave the cake if it is past the day that I made it to re-warm and freshen up the cake.
Notes
I used a non-stick USA pan brand cake pan. I have not tested this recipe in a pan that is not non-stick or a glass pan.
To add jam - I left out the cinnamon in the sugar coating and also in the batter. Once the batter is in the pan, create little divots in the batter with a teaspoon and fill them with jam. Gently try to cover with the batter. Top with the sugar. I used 150g raspberry fruit preserve which has a lower sugar content than regular jam as these were already quite sweet!
Comments
PNK says
Hi!
Will full fat plain Greek yogurt work in place of sour cream? Thx
Erin Clarkson says
Yes it should be fine!
Rahima Fakir Desai says
Hi,hope you're well. I just wanted to know what can I substitute sour cream for? Will yoghurt work? Thank you so much
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, yes full fat greek yoghurt will work!
rahima fakir-desai says
Thank you so much 💕
Iris says
So so good!! We ate it warm after it cooled slightly and it was diving. We used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and it still turned out great. Thanks for a lovely lovely recipe xx
Jules says
Hi, I don’t have access to an oven at the moment, have you ever made this in an air fryer, if so what temp and how long. Thanks Erin 🌼
Erin Clarkson says
I haven't sorry!
Debbie says
Looks amazing! Could I try lining the pan with parchment paper and then putting the sugar on top of the paper? How do you think that would work?
Erin Clarkson says
You can try but I don't think it will work as well - the cake might go soggy.
RoseMary says
Measured out the ingredients last night and whipped this up this morning, what a delicious and simple fall treat! This is truly a great recipe, so happy to have it for mornings that call for something sweet, thank you Erin, you're the best!!
Andrea says
This is incredible. I used demerara sugar as I couldn't find turbinado, and left out the cinnamon. It turned out so, so fluffy inside a lovely golden crust, and it tastes absolutely delicious!
Bel says
This was divine both directly from the oven and then the next day (stick it in the microwave for 20 secs to make it soft again). Crispy cruncy crust, floofy donuty centre. I didn't have quite enough sour cream and subbed in 50g of full fat greek yoghurt. Thanks for the delish recipe!
Allison says
Made this over the weekend and it is so good! Used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and baked in a 9 inch square pan instead of 8 as I don’t have an 8 inch. Would be incredible with apples added somehow.
Alexa says
Hello Erin. Can I use oil if I don't have butter?
Erin Clarkson says
No sorry!
Sandi says
Can I mix this using a food processor?
Erin Clarkson says
No I would just do it with a handheld electric mixer - a food processor isn't the right tool for the job
Heather says
Can this recipe done using almond or oat flour please
Thanks
Erin Clarkson says
No sorry!
Al says
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL simple and easy cake. Incredibly easy to make too. I made it for my office today and have had nothing but shining compliments. Erin, you are just such a clever cookie x
Calli says
This cake was so tasty and fluffy and moist! I’ll definitely make it again. I did end up needing a bit more of the cinnamon sugar mixture to fully coat the pan, but that was an easy adjustment!
Gabrielle Bryant says
Delicious! Thank you for another great recipe!!
Ellkie-mae says
Can you do this recipe without the sour cream
Erin Clarkson says
No please don't leave it out but you could sub it for greek yoghurt!
Jeanie Newman says
I love your recipes. Thank you! I love that they contain real ingredients that I feel good about using. No weird chemicals like in box mixes and premade stuff in the grocery. Thank you!
Beth says
I would like to make several smaller cakes and hand them out to friends in my quilting group. Could this recipe be made using several small loaf pans (3x5)?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! Yes I have done this with my butter cake and it worked great 🙂
Liz says
If I triple the recipe- can I put in a 9X12 glass pan? What would the heat and timing be? Thank you!
Erin Clarkson says
I haven't tested this sorry but generally don't recommend a glass pan as they conduct heat very poorly
Shelby M. says
Hello! Made this last night and can't get over how good it is!! Definitely will be making again many times over. Do you think subbing apple sauce for the sour cream would work? Looking to get a slight apple-y flavor and had that thought. Thanks again for the recipe!
Erin Clarkson says
So happy you loved! No, that won't work - the sour cream is really important for both fat and for its moisture content in the cake.
Franziska Erbar says
I made this last weekend but it was eaten so quickly that I only realised afterwards that I didn’t take any pictures. The texture of the cake was lovely and the added raspberry jam was a nice sharp contrast to the sweetness of the cake. Loved it! So easy and quick to make and even better, with ingredients I always have in the house! Thank you!