Powdered Donut Cake
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Heavy on the butter and nutmeg, this cake has all the flavors of your favorite cake donut in a convenient square shape.
This donut cake comes from the wonderful new cookbook Snacking Cakes: Simple Treats for Anytime Cravings by Yossy Arefi. I’m having so much fun baking my way through this sweet book—all the cakes are made using just one bowl (no electric mixers needed!) with ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Yossy writes, “Heavy on the butter and nutmeg, this cake has all the flavors of your favorite cake donut in a convenient square shape—no frying necessary! Just take my word for it, and don’t wear a black shirt when you eat it. You are definitely going to get confectioners’ sugar all over yourself with every bite.”
Table of Contents
Powdered Donut Cake Ingredients
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and eggs.
Whisk until pale and foamy, about 1 minute.
Add the sour cream, butter, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt.
Whisk until smooth and emulsified.
Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
Whisk until well-combined and smooth.
Pour the batter into a parchment-lined pan. 
Bake the cake until puffed and golden, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.
Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on the rack to cool almost completely.
Finish the cake: While the cake is just warm to the touch, brush the top with the melted butter.
Dust with the confectioners’ sugar — you should have a nice thick layer, more than you think might be necessary. Cut into squares and enjoy!
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Powdered Donut Cake
Heavy on the butter and nutmeg, this cake has all the flavors of your favorite cake donut in a convenient square shape.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1¼ teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with a knife
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
For Topping
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter or coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over two of the edges.
- Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream, butter, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until smooth and emulsified.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until well-combined and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake the cake until puffed and golden, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on the rack to cool almost completely.
- Finish the cake: While the cake is just warm to the touch, brush the top with the melted butter and dust with the confectioners’ sugar. You should have a nice thick layer of confectioners' sugar—more than you think might be necessary. (Store the cake, covered, at room temperature for up to three days. The cake will absorb the sugar on top, so it might need a fresh dusting of confectioners’ sugar after the second day.)
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 servings)
- Serving size: 1 square
- Calories: 181
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 190 mg
- Cholesterol: 46 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Can you freeze this cake?
Yes, I think you can freeze this but I’d wait until thawing it to add the melted butter and confectioners’ sugar. Hope that helps!
I’ve been wanting to make this recipe since the first time I saw it here. However I never have sour cream on hand. I decided to make it with mayonnaise with a splash of vinegar for tartness. It turned out really well and I can say this cake really does taste like my favorite cake donuts. I will most definitely make it again and once again, thank you Jenn for a great recipe!
Do you think you could pipe this batter into a silicone donut mold?
Sure, I think that would work. Please LMK how they turn out!
Can I make the batter as written but then use the melted butter cinnamon/sugar topping from your donut muffin recipe? My daughter’s partner is not a fan of powdered sugar, so I thought this might be a good option? I have yet to make a recipe of yours that I don’t love! Thanks.
So glad you like the recipes, Andi! And, yes, what you’re suggesting should work just fine. Hope everyone enjoys!
Can I use powdered nutmeg instead of fresh? It’s what I have on hand
Hi Virginia, powdered nutmeg will work (and you’ll need the same amount). Enjoy!
Another winnerr!
I made this with “plain” gluten free flour that I buy in the UK. So the only thing that I added to your recipe was 1/2 t. of Zantham gum.
I baked it 35 minutes, and then had to wait till it had cooled to try it!
It was fabulous, and that’s rarely a word that I use when talking about a gf baked good.
I didn’t taste it with regular flour of course, but this was so good that I want to sit and eat the whole pan! Love the powdered sugar and butter topping, it really looks pretty too.
Will be making many more times! Thank you so much Jen!
I am looking forward to trying this! What are your thoughts on adding a cup of blueberries to the batter before baking?
Hi Kate, it could make the cake a bit tart depending upon how tart your blueberries are, but I think it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jen,
A quick question : is it safe to use such a big quantity of nutmeg? The recipe calls for 1 and 1/4 teaspoons of nutmeg.
Thank you
Yes, that quantity of nutmeg is correct. That’s what helps to give the cake its donut-y flavor. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Hi Jen,
All your recipes are delicious.
Is this cake ok to be made a day before? Will I still put the powdered sugar after baking it or put it the day I am serving it?
Thanks
Hi Sheila, So glad you like the recipes! Yes, it’s okay to make the cake a day ahead. I’d put the confectioners’ sugar on after baking it; some of it may get absorbed while it sits, so the cake may need a fresh dusting of confectioners’ sugar before serving. Hope you enjoy!
I found this recipe by mistake and glad I did It was delicious. Yes it tastes like baked donuts and quick and easy to make