Soft cake-style muffin donuts (Printable)

Soft, cake-style donuts baked in muffin tins and coated with a smooth sweet glaze.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 2/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Glaze

11 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray or butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the whole milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about halfway.
06 - Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow donuts to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust milk to achieve desired consistency.
09 - Dip the tops of each cooled donut into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Place back on the wire rack until the glaze sets.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • No deep fryer means no splattering oil and way less cleanup anxiety.
  • They bake in 15 minutes, so you can have fresh donuts faster than driving to the bakery.
  • The nutmeg in the batter gives them this subtle, almost old-fashioned flavor that feels unexpectedly grown-up.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting the donuts cool completely before glazing—warm donuts will just absorb the glaze and leave you with a sad, bare top.
  • Room temperature ingredients actually matter here because they combine smoothly without the shock of temperature differences.
  • Overmixing the batter is the fastest way to end up with hockey pucks, so resist the urge to be thorough.
03 -
  • Sift your powdered sugar before making the glaze—it takes 30 seconds and eliminates lumps that will grit in your teeth.
  • If your glaze is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time; too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar slowly.
  • A wooden skewer or chopstick works just as well as a toothpick for testing doneness and looks a little less clinical.
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