These easy Cake Mix Donuts are the perfect solution for a donut craving with very little effort! a box of cake mix and store-bought frosting transform into delicious donuts. Perfect for a special occasion (we made ours for Halloween) or fun sweet treat any time.
You’ve heard of cake mix cookies, now you can skip the donut shops and make these chocolate cake donuts at home! With minimal ingredients you can have delicious cake mix donut any time. With a sweet glaze and festive sprinkles! Any boxed cake mix will work so though we made chocolate you can change these easy baked donuts up for any holiday season or flavor craving.
The nice thing about this easy donut recipe is it’s fast, affordable, VERY easy to change and you have fresh donuts whenever you want them!
If you are a donut lover try our Robin’s Egg Vanilla Baked Donuts and Easy Baked Donuts with fresh Raspberries too!
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Recipe Ingredients Notes
Only a few simple ingredients are needed to make these delicious cake mix donuts!
Chocolate cake mix. You’ll use one 15.25-ounce chocolate cake mix. It can be regular or gluten-free.
Unsalted butter. This will be melted.
Milk. We used whole milk (dairy milk) but any milk should work.
Chocolate frosting. You’ll need one tub of prepared chocolate frosting. Or you can substitute homemade. We love our
Candy eyes. These are available where baking supplies are sold. They come in two sizes. You can use as many as you like!
Halloween sprinkles. The perfect finishing touch to these Halloween donuts.
Supplies
- Full size donut mold (pan). This is the one I have and love (made by Wilton).
- Large piping bag. Option: use a gallon Ziploc bag with one corner cut off instead.
How to make Cake Mix Donuts
STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease donut pans with nonstick cooking spray.
STEP 2. Make the batter
In a large mixing bowl using a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment together the cake mix, egg, melted butter, and milk in a large bowl (photo 1).
When the batter is well mixed, transfer the mixture to a large piping bag; snip off the tip. Pipe the mixture into the donut pans. Do not overfill; fill each donut cavity 3/4 full (photo 2).
STEP 3. Bake & Cool
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip the pan over on to a wire rack and allow the donuts to cool completely (photo 3).
STEP 4. Glaze
When the donuts are fully cooled, transfer the frosting to a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave (stirring as needed), until the frosting is slightly runny.
Drizzle the melted frosting over the top of each donut (photo 4), then decorate the tops of the donuts with candy eyes and sprinkles (see below).
Variations
Change up for different holidays. These can easily be changed for another holiday like Valentine’s Day with different frosting and sprinkles.
Everyday donuts. Skip the candy eyes and the Halloween sprinkles to make these perfect any day. Use your favorite regular rainbow sprinkles or leave them off all together.
Try a different cake mixes. Funfetti cake mix, yellow cake mix, spice cake mix or strawberry cake mix donuts….you get the idea. Any cake mix will work.
Try a different glaze. Any store-bought frosting will work so use a vanilla frosting for a vanilla glaze or another favorite for a new flavor to these homemade donuts. Follow the same instructions to make a simple glaze.
Making powder sugar donuts. You can skip the frosting glaze and roll the donuts in powdered sugar.
Topping ideas. The easiest way to change these up is with different toppings. Here are just a few ideas:
- chocolate chips (regular size or mini)
- other baking chip flavors: peanut butter, toffee brickle, butterscotch, white chocolate (vanilla)
- mini marshmallows
- crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
- different holiday sprinkles
- shredded coconut
- chopped candy bars
- chopped nuts
How to Store
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days (out of direct sunlight or heat). Or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving for best flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! We recommend freezing them before glazing or frosting. Bake the donuts, allow to cool fully on a cooling rack. Place on a parchment lines baking dish and place in the freezer for 1-2 hours to flash freeze. Then add the donuts to a gallon freezer plastic bag or freezer safe airtight container for up to 2 month. Flash freezing allows you to remove any number of donuts at a time. If adding all to a container they will freeze to each other.
We have only made them with a non-stick donut pan which is what we recommend. However there is a work around using a muffin tin with a small rolled ball of aluminum foil set in the middle. You need to spray everything with non-stick spray and pipe the donut batter into the muffin cavities and bake. They won’t be as pretty as using a pan but should work.
We haven’t tried it ourselves but you should be able to. Follow the instructions for your donut maker!
Yes! Use a gluten-free cake mix and they are perfect for a gluten-free diet.
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Recipe
Cake Mix Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 15.25-ounce box chocolate cake mix see Notes
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tub chocolate frosting
- Candy eyes
- Halloween sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray donut pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- Using an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine together the cake mix, egg, butter, and milk in a large bowl. Beat to mix together.1 15.25-ounce box chocolate cake mix, 1 egg, 1/3 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup milk
- When the batter is well mixed, transfer the mixture to a large piping bag or gallon plastic bag. Snip off the tip of the piping bag or corner of the plastic bag. Pipe the mixture into the donut pans filling 3/4 full (do not over fill).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip the pan over on to a wire cooling rack and allow the donuts to cool completely.
- When the donuts are cool, transfer the frosting from the plastic tub into a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30-60 seconds in the microwave, until the frosting is slightly runny. Stir as needed during heating.1 tub chocolate frosting
- Drizzle the melted frosting over the top of each donut, then decorate with candy eyes and sprinkles. Allow to set before serving.
Notes
- chocolate chips (regular size or mini)
- other baking chip flavors: peanut butter, toffee brickle, butterscotch, white chocolate (vanilla)
- mini marshmallows
- crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
- different holiday sprinkles
- shredded coconut
- chopped candy bars
- chopped nuts
Amy S says
So easy!! Thank you so much. I’m making them again tomorrow, my kids loved them!
Savita says
Loved the recipe, so easy to make and is perfect dessert for any holiday dinner.
Sonal Gupta says
I am in love with the fact that they are so easy to make. And perfect for Fall Time too with the decor idea.
Jovita says
Tasty donuts! I tried this recipe and my family loved it. It was so easy and the flavor were fantastic. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Tayler says
Love this easy ingredient hack to making donuts! I can’t wait to experiment with different cake mix flavors!
Gretchen says
These donuts were explained it so well. They were really easy to make and delicious too.