These 2-Ingredient Baked Cake Donuts are too good to be true! Just two ingredients for the donuts, a container of frosting for the glaze and in less than 30 minutes you’ll have great cake donuts ready to enjoy!
Do or Donut, There is No Try
Today’s the day, my friends! It’s National Donut Day!!! Yes, a day to celebrate our love for donuts & devour as many as we want without being judged. Wait, who would ever judge someone for eating donuts?! š It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with donuts. I mean I wear donut shoes, donut shirts, a donut necklace and all the donut shops in town know me by name. Absolutely no shame in my donut loving game!
In honor of my love for donuts, I’m not just sharing one yummy donut recipe today, but two! Woo-hoo!
Watch Me Make Baked Cake Donuts
Join me in the kitchen as I make a batch of these amazing 2-Ingredient Baked Cake Donuts!
Two Ingredients, One Delicious Donut
First up are these incredibly easy and delicious 2-Ingredient Baked Cake Donuts with a 1-Ingredient Glaze. They’re too good to be true! This recipe is for my semi-homemade, fear of frying, need something quick & easy but still want them to taste amazing, donut lovers out there. You’re gonna love these donuts!
Okay, back to these 2-Ingredient baked cake donuts! “How can that be??” you might be asking. What about the flour! The yeast! The powdered sugar! The salt! Surely there are egg! Well, they’re actually made with a cake mix and one other ingredient mixed in. I don’t use cake mixes often because I love baking from scratch, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with using a cake mix every once in a while to make life easier & to mix things up.
So when I got this idea in my head to bake donuts with a cake mix and just one other ingredient mixed in, I ran with it and I love how they turned out! The options are plentiful when it comes to picking a flavor for these cake donuts. Just take your favorite cake mix and stir in either 2 cups mashed banana, 2 cups cinnamon applesauce or a 15 ounce can of pure pumpkin to the dough.
And you’ll never believe it, but the glaze is just store-bought frosting that’s been microwaved for about 10 seconds. It works so perfectly as a donut glaze. I was literally doing the happy dance when this little idea of mine worked so well.
The donuts are soft and cakey and the sweet glaze coats and compliments them perfectly. Oh my yum!
How to Make 2-Ingredient Donuts
To make cake mix donuts, take 1 cake mix, 1 mix-in and 1 container of frosting. Sprinkles are technically optional, but come on! Sprinkles are given when it comes to donuts, am I right?! š
Here we go…
You like chocolate cake donuts? For chocolate cake donuts: Use a chocolate cake mix and stir in any of the 3 mix-ins and use any frosting glaze you so desire!
For vanilla cake donuts: Use vanilla cake mix and any of the 3 mix-ins would work great and the same goes for the frosting glaze!
For Strawberry cake donuts: Use mashed bananas or applesauce for the mix-in and a strawberry frosting glaze! You like spice cake mix, go with applesauce or pumpkin and a cream cheese or plain vanilla frosting glaze!
So many yummy options! The process for making these donuts is so quick and easy it’s ridiculous. You’ll be baking these bad boys (I mean that in a good way) every chance you get.
Donuts Three Ways
I made them three different ways to show you how: Strawberry banana with a strawberry frosting glaze and sprinkles, of course! Oh la la!!
Apple Spice with a vanilla frosting glaze…sweet & simply delicious! Might be my fave!
Chocolate pumpkin with a chocolate frosting glaze and chocolate sprinkles! Party!
So what are you waiting for? Grab a cake mix, a mix-in, and a container of frosting and you’re less than 30 minutes away from baked cake donut deliciousness!
Even More Donut Deliciousness
Stay tuned for some scratch-made, home-fried Blueberry Donuts that are still super easy and can be ready to enjoy in just 30 minutes. Once again, too good to be true!
Oh, and don’t forget about the Easy Old-Fashioned Donuts, Whole Wheat Baked Banana Donuts with a Peanut Butter Glaze, and Baked Banana Donuts with a Maple Glaze recipes that I’ve posted in the past. They might be oldies on the blog, but they’re still goody good good!
I’m so excited about these donuts! They’re so easy to make, they taste great, the flavor options are endless and everyone will go crazy over them. If you make these 2-Ingredient Donuts, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 
I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
2-Ingredient Baked Cake Donuts
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 7 mins
- Total Time: 22 mins
- Yield: 12
- Category: Breakfast
Description
These 2-Ingredient Baked Cake Donuts are too good to be true! Just two ingredients for the donuts and a container of frosting for the glaze and in less than 30 minutes you’ll have great cake donuts ready to enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cake mix, any flavor (just the dry mix)
- 1 mix-in (2 cups mashed banana OR 2 cups cinnamon applesauce OR 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin)
- 1 container frosting, any flavor
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray one (or two) 6 cavity donut pans with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cake mix (just the dry mix, no other ingredients listed on the box) with one of the mix-in options until well combined. Transfer the batter to a gallon-size resealable baggie and seal shut. Cut a small piece off one corner off the bottom of the baggie and fill each donut ring almost completely full with batter. You can also use a piping bag, if you have one. (Should make 12 donuts)
- Bake for 7-8 minutes or until donuts are set and spring back up when touched. Let donuts cool in pan for at least 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to collect glaze drippings. Repeat process with remaining batter if you don’t have two donut pans.
- Heat frosting in a microwave safe bowl for 10-15 seconds until of drizzling consistency. Dip one donut at a time into the frosting glaze and place upright back on the wire rack. If sprinkling with sprinkles, do so immediately after glazing each donut. Repeat with remaining donuts. Allow glaze to set for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
If using a mini donut pan, bake for about 5 minutes before testing doneness.
PRODUCTS USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:
This recipe was so easy! My 5 year old loves donuts. These taste better than buying them at Dunkin’ Donuts. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, Angela! So glad y’all enjoyed it!
What would you recommend as add in for red velvet cake mix?
Hi Krystal! I think it would be great to mix a red velvet cake mix with prepared chocolate pudding or vanilla yogurt. You could also use pure pumpkin which would give it a great texture without adding flavor. I hope this helps. Enjoy!
Yes, thank you.
What would you recommend as add in for blueberry cake mix?
Hi Krystal! For a blueberry cake mix, I would recommend mashed banana, applesauce or a blueberry flavored yogurt. Enjoy!
We tried this method using a Devil’s Food cake mix and 2 c. applesauce. For round, doughnut-shaped cake, this was fine but definitely not cake doughnuts. No complaints; just a caution to temper your expectations.
I’ve made these twice with my 4 year old assistant. They turned delicious both times. strawberry cake mix and mashed banana, I halved the cake mix and used 1 cup mashed banana, bc we only needed six donuts. I used a simple powdered sugar glaze and added sprinkles. These are beautiful, easy, so much easier than frying donuts, and cheaper than going out to the bakery. now I think I need to find a donut hole tin to make my Sundays better.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear! Thank you for sharing with us. I hope y’all continue to enjoy for years to come!
Haven’t made this yet but it looks good
Would it be possible to mix the wet ingredient in the cake mix in the Ziploc bag so you don’t have to dirty a mixing bowl?
Hi, Ed! I have never tried it, but I guess anything is worth a shot!
I waited for thirty minutes and my glaze still did not set into a crispy glaze.
How do I achieve that crispy state?
Hi, Kevin! The donut in this recipe are more of a frosted donut. A glaze would be much thinner and the sugar in it would crisp more as it dries. Some of the frosting brands and flavors are thinner when melted, like the strawberry, so they will give more of a glazed texture, but most cake frostings will give the frosted texture and flavor of a frosted donut from the donut shop. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
What should we add if we want just plain chocolate donuts? I remember buying them from Winchell’s Donuts and they were terrific! Thanks for your ideas.
Hi, Kathy! Use a chocolate cake mix and stir in any of the 3 mix-ins and use any frosting glaze you so desire!Ā Mix ins are: 2 cups mashed banana OR 2 cups cinnamon applesauce OR 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin)
I made these today using a Pampered Chef donut mix I had instead of a cake mix and can of pumpkin and cream cheese frosting. Awesome! My favorite birthday cake growing up was cherry chip with cherry frosting. I am going to try that!! I would just use maybe applesauce? Love the simplicity!
What ingredient works best with lemon cake mix?
Hi Kevin! I would recommend applesauce or you could even use greek yogurt. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Could these be frozen? Would you recommend not frosting them?
Hi Kelly! Yes, they can be frozen, but I would recommend freezing them before frosting. Just let them cool completely and then wrap individually in plastic wrap and place down in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then either heat for a few minutes in the oven to warm them up or set at room temperature before frosting. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Can this be made with sugar free cake mix
Hi, Harriet! I haven’t made it with a sugar free mix, but it’s totally worth trying!
Can you use other pie fillings or sour cream or yogurt or something like that? Would a fruit pie filling work?
Hi Rene! I haven’t tested the recipe with any of those, but I know that others have used yogurt with great results. If you use a pie filling, I would recommend using one where the fruit is finely chopped within it so it combines well with the cake mix. The pie filling donuts would probably bake up pretty sweet. Hope this helps and that you enjoy them!
Can you use Greek yogurt instead of bananas or apple sauce?
Hi Caroline! I haven’t tested the recipe with Greek yogurt, but I know others have and they turn out great. I hope you get a chance to try them soon. Enjoy!
Hi Can you use gluten free cake mix? Also, would buttermilk work as the leavening agent?
Hi Heidi! You can definitely use a gluten free cake mix. I would not recommend buttermilk as the only added ingredient as I’m not sure it alone will give the donuts their desired texture. I haven’t tested it so I could say for sure how much to use and how they would bake up. Hope this helps and that you get to enjoy them soon!
This is not 2 ingredients!! A cake mix is many ongredients!!! Flor, sugar, soda or baking powder, etc etc. For hose of us who have made cakes from scratch, we know! Now, yes. There’s just a couple of steps, but not 2 ingredients! Lol! Allergy and food sensitive people – beware!! š¤¦āāļøš¤£š¤£
Just 2 ingredients from the store! Many recipe “ingredients” from the store have other ingredients within them so anyone with allergy and food sensitivities should always beware and use ingredients that are safe for them to eat. This is a fun baking recipe that lots of people love because it’s easy and doable, especially with kiddos.
it is 2 ingredients, the box cake mix is 1, and the other bring a choice of either , banana, applesauce or pumpkin, we are well aware the cake box has ingredients within! geez so ignorant on this!
I made the strawberry with applesauce. They were incredible. Do you think you could make them with fresh blueberries, yellow cake mix and applesauce. Have you ever tried blueberry?
Hi, Debbie! I haven’t tried it with blueberries, but I’m sure it would be yummy!
I wanted to try this recipe with the Annieās organic confetti cake mix but I noticed itās 21oz vs the 16oz of most cake mixes. Should I weigh it and reduce the amount of cake mix?
Hi Heather! You could do that or you could just increase the amount of the mix-in to 2 and 1/2 cups. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Can a Swerve Cake Mix be used to make these donuts?
Hi Karen! I haven’t tested the recipe with a Swerve Cake Mix, but I think it should work great. I know several people have had great success with this recipe using a gluten free cake mix. Enjoy!
I made this recipe this morning with a dark chocolate cake mix and 2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt. Absolutely delicious. I baked them 8 minutes and they were perfect. So light and fluffy. I made my own vanilla glaze to drizzle over the top. I will definitely make these again.
Can you make these cake donuts with sour cream instead of applesauce?
Hi Laurie! I haven’t tested it so I couldn’t say for sure, but I think it would work great. Let us know how they turn out if you try it. Enjoy!
It took a couple of tries but I finally got it right! We baked these in a portable convection oven . I love that oven! Anyway, I started with a little lower temperature and then raised it to 425 for the last few minutes. At first, I didn’t fill the donut “pan holes” full enough and then I forgot to spray the pan for the 2nd batch. My honey helped me calm down and we finally got it right! Yummy and easy are understatements!
Our favorite so far is strawberry cake mix and two cups of applesauce.
Cooling until entirely cool, not lukewarm, seems to be the secret. We don’t even glaze these, just put chopped up fresh strawberries over top of the donut and eat it with a fork.
Thanks so very much for this recipe!! We are definitely hooked. We can’t wait to try other flavors. Such fun for two older retirees. We love shortcuts and non fried donuts. We highly recommend these. Did I say thank you!! Well we thank you again for simplifying our lives even more.
I needed a quick treat for a work crew today so I made Pumpkin spice donuts rolled in cinnamon, sugar and a dash of pumpkin pie spice. They are moist and delicious,,,,,…….better than purchased baked goods. I used a silicone donut pan that seemed to take longer to bake so at 425 degrees I left them in the oven for about 12 minutes. I used a Duncan Hines Moist Spice cake mix and a regular 15 oz can of pumpkin. Excellent recipe!!
Hi. Iām making this tonight. I only have unsweetened applesauce. Does this change the texture or flavor? I also have sugar free apple pie filling? Would that work?
Hi Monica! Yummy! Unsweetened applesauce should work great as the cake mix usually has sweetener in it already. I haven’t tested the recipe with apple pie filling so I couldn’t say for sure how they would turn out. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
Iāve made the donuts using pumpkin and they were great, but I just tried to make using apple sauce, and they were too cake like. Too much applesauce. I could tell even before baking. If I try again I will cut the amount of applesauce.
I made these with my Culinary students. I had a variety of cake mixes and add-ins. Spice cake worked the best because it is usually a thicker consistency. Also, my students have a tendency to be impatient. It seemed that for us, the donuts needed to bake at least 9-10 min. The red Velvet and fun-fetti cake donuts were the hardest to get to the right consistency. Once again, I think it was a patience thing. They really need to sit in the pan/silicone molds for that 5 min.
This was a fun activity.
How would I adjust the time using a mini donut pan?
Hi Laura! My mini donut pan usually bakes them in about 5 minutes. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Can you do this with cake mix and yogourt? Just curious
Hi GeeBee! I haven’t tried it myself, but I’ve had several people tell me that they’ve baked them with great success using yogurt. I hope they turn out just as great for you. Enjoy!
Two thumbs down, as much as I wanted to love these. 7-8 minutes absolutely not enough – I baked for 14 minutes then let cool. They are complete mush (used 2 c applesauce). I was about to toss them in the trash but I’m reheating the oven and will try to bake another 10 minutes. But I’m sure they will end up in garbage can. Bummed because they were supposed to be birthday donuts for tonight – guess I’m going with an old stand-by of brownies.
Hi Julie! Oh no! Which brand and flavor of cake mix did you use? What type of applesauce did you use? Did you just use the dry cake mix and the applesauce? No other ingredients right? What type of donut pan did you use? Hoping I can help you troubleshoot what went wrong because they should have baked up great if using just a dry cake mix and 2 cups applesauce. We bake the applesauce versions often with great success each time.
Can you use silicone donut pans? And if so recommends?
Hi Ashleigh! I haven’t tried this recipe with silicone donut pans so I couldn’t say for sure how you’d need to adjust the baking time, but it’s certainly worth a try. I hope they turn out just as great. Enjoy!
I have made these at least 20 times, they always turn out great! I have two kids with food allergies and two without and they all love these donuts. I cant Imagine an easier recipe and everyone thinks Iām so impressive for making vegan donuts š we make chocolate the most but also make strawberry or strawberry banana.
Hi, Iām wondering if anyone has tried this recipe in an airfryer and if so time and setting would be awesome.
I really liked the recipe.
Hi Meagan…I am new to your sight and so glad I started with this donut recipe…I am 75 yrs old and still looking for new and fun things to share…this is now on that list…of course I stared with the cho and pumpkin…there are two of us in this home…..my husband is working his way thru them…and thinks I walk on water…sorry for not mentioning your name…lol…no I fessed up and he thanks you too…will be back!
I didn’t read though each comment but did anyone have luck with gluten free cake mix? This is the closest successful recipe I’ve found without eggs, but I’d also like to do gluten free!
Hi Mandy! I get messages all the time from people who have had success baking these donuts with a gluten free cake mix so it’s certainly worth a try. Enjoy!
Can you use apple pie filling as a mix in?
Hi Tammy! I haven’t tried them with apple pie filling, but I think it would work well from a consistency standpoint. The donuts will definitely be sweeter with the extra sugar from using pie filling. I hope you get to try them soon and that they turn out great. Enjoy!
I think this recipe has a lot of potential however the applesauce recipe is severely flawed. I had to bake double the amount of time and still they completely fall apart. I believe the applesauce needs to be reduced by 1/4-1/2 cup and add an egg or two for it to work out. I would like to try it again w/ bananas and/or pumpkin b/c those are natural binders but applesauce is not.
Hi April! Sorry to hear the applesauce combo didn’t work for you. It’s one of our favorite binders and works beautifully for us every time. Was your applesauce especially thin or runny? What brand of cake mix did you use? I’m thinking it must have something to do with the brands you’re using. Hopefully you’ll get to try the other combos soon.
great recipe, super easy. did devil’s food with applesauce. used a 12-hole mini-donut pan and had to do multiple goes in the oven because it’s my only one (5-6 mins per bake)…pro tip: if you have to use one pan multiple times just make sure to wipe it out and re-spray each time you fill it or the next batch will stick. also, i think i know why people’s donuts are falling apart – if you try to dip them in the glaze/frosting when they’re still warm they’ll just crumble. don’t need to be fully cool when you glaze them but definitely not warm. the same thing happens if the frosting isn’t “loose” enough, easily fixed with a few more seconds in the nuker. (found both of those out the hard way!) they are super-soft though, not quite as dense as i thought they might be without the extra wet ingredients the box normally calls for.
This was amazing and so easy!
I used devil’s food cake mix, 1 cup of mashed bananas, and 1 cup of plain nonfat greek yogurt because I didn’t have enough bananas. They turned out delicious and moist!
Can a boxed brownie mix be used instead of a cake mix??
Hi Karen! I think that’s a great idea! The texture will be slightly denser, but they should still taste great! I’ll have to try them out soon too. Enjoy!
How many points per donuts
Hi Elizabeth! I donāt provide nutritional information at this time because everyone uses different brands of ingredients which often have differing nutritional values. I would recommend plugging the ingredients you used into a free online nutrition calculator like: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator Hope this helps. Enjoy!
If I were to use a red velvet cake mix, would you suggest the 3 bananas or pumpkin add in? Not sure which would taste better. And same question if I used Butter Pecan mix, would bananas or pumpkin be a better pairing?
Thanks for sharing this recipe, I’m all about few ingredients and still getting an awesome taste!
Hi Alicia! I think banana or pumpkin would taste great with the red velvet cake mix. If you’d prefer not have the banana flavor, then I would go with the pumpkin since it has no flavor. Same with the butter pecan mix…if you like the flavor of banana then I would definitely try it with banana. If you use pumpkin with the butter pecan mix, maybe add in a little cinnamon and nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice for a nice flavor addition. I hope you enjoy them!
I used a yellow cake mix with canned pumpkin. I did add a dash of cinnamon and about a teaspoon of oil (I wanted to be sure they were moist enough). After I piped them in the pan I sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar. I had to cook mine about 12 minutes. My husband says they are the best donuts he has ever tasted. ā¤
Made the chocolate pumpkin and they were amazing. Came out perfect and were a huge hit with my family. I have not been able to get flour do to the pandemic, but I can get cake mix (so far). Thank you!
Can i use a cupcake machine instead of a donut pan?
Hi Hawraa! You can definitely use a muffin pan instead of a donut pan. They’ll just need to bake a little longer or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Enjoy!
Just made these with white cake mix, bananas and powdered peanut butter! So, so GOOD! Didnāt have frosting in the house, so made icing with confectioners sugar, milk and some more of the powdered peanut butter. Totally saving this recipe for many more variations…thank you! š
Can sugar free cake mix be used?
Hi Patti! Yes, it should work great. Enjoy!
Hi, I need to make MINI sized donuts. How long would I let them bake and should I still preheat the oven to 425 or lower? Thank you!
Hi Pam! The donuts will bake for about 5-6 minutes in a mini donut pan. Just a few minutes less than the regular-sized donuts. And yes, at the same temperature of 425Ā°F. Enjoy!
Mine were way too moist. They fell apart and tasted like they were under cooked. I tried to cook them more, but they still seemed un done.
Oh no, Rebecca! Which combination of cake mix and stir-in did you use?
Hello Maegan
This is wonderful recipe to try! Iām wondering between apple sauce and banana is there any taste or texture differences??
Iām considering either yellow cake or strawberry cake mix here!! Thank you!
Hi Kate! The texture using banana is a little denser than with apple sauce. The flavor doesn’t differ too much between the two. Either would work great with either yellow cake or strawberry cake. They’re sure to be delicious either way! Enjoy!
What would the oven temp and cook time be for a mini cake donut pan?
Hi Tina! The oven temperature would remain the same, but the baking time would reduce to 4-5 minutes if using a miniature donut pan. Enjoy!
I would love to try a lemon poppyseed donut. I have a lemon cake mix, what would the best add-in be that wouldn’t interfere with the flavor?
Hi Susan! Yummm, that sounds like a great combo for these donuts. I would suggest plain (or lemon) whole milk yogurt or applesauce. Let me know how they turn out!
I made these tonight and they were still raw. I used a spice cake mix and a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, baked for almost 20 minutes and they were still raw. What happened?
Hi Sarah! You just used the cake mix and puree? No water, oil or egg, right? I make this variation all the time and never have an issue with them not baking all the way through, especially after 20 minutes. I’m bummed they didn’t turn out for you.
What about coconut? I have coconut cream & flakes to use! Yellow cake mix? I’m making a few different flavors for my daughter’s 13th birthday party sleepover. Thank you!
Hi Mandi! I’m not sure how the coconut cream will hold up when the batter is baked, but it’s certainly worth a try. Would love to hear how they turn out if you try them. Happy birthday to your daughter! Have fun celebrating!
I found this recipe the other day after failing to make donuts NOT taste like flour and I was ecstatic to try. I remembered I needed cake mix and banana so I went and made the donuts without going back to the recipe to refresh myself. They turned out amazing, I used butter pecan cake mix and 2 bananas. BUT I forgot I didn’t need to add the eggs and oil and water so I’m mad at myself because the donuts would surely be firmer. They are pretty soft and fluffy so we’ll see how they hold up with frosting but the taste is amazing!
Just found this post and so happy I did- these were awesome! I did chocolate cake mix with applesauce and came out great. I was looking to make them just slightly more crispy on the outside similar to a fried cake doughnut- so after they cooled out of the pan, I put them in our Cuisinart Air Fryer for about 2-3 minutes and the outsides got perfectly crispy– my husband typically does not like baked donuts as he likes the texture of the fried- and he really liked these! Can’t wait to try these as cupcakes and other doughnut flavors. Thank you!
So easy. I used applesauce and pineapple cake with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Vanilla frosting.
Really good!
I substituted apple butter for the apple sauce in the spice cake. Failed. Stayed gooey inside even after double the time. Used it in our oatmeal this morning so it wasn’t a total waste. I was inspired by the baker that substituted canned cherries. Oh well. Now I know.
Hi ML! Yeah, I could see where apple butter would be too dense to allow the donuts to bake up. It was certainly worth a try though and I’m happy to hear you were able to use it in your oatmeal. Applesauce is much lighter which is why I suggest using it for the these donuts. Hope you’re able to try them again!
I have a silicone mini bundt mold (4 wells) – do you think these will work in something like that?
Hi Lisa! Absolutely, you will just need to adjust the baking time accordingly. The mini bundts will take longer to bake. Enjoy!
Hi! I tried these today with chocolate and pumpkin, and my kids LOVED them! Do you think they would work with peanut butter and chocolate cake mix? Wondering if peanut butter would be too thick, but maybe I could melt/soften it a bit? Just curious if you had a clue before I make a mess trying it out! Thank you!!
Hi Ashley! Happy to hear your kiddos love the chocolate and pumpkin combo. I do think using just peanut butter is too thick for this recipe. You could combine the peanut butter with banana or you could add an egg and some water with the peanut butter to thin the batter out. Love the idea of a peanut butter and chocolate combo version of these donuts though. You’ll have to let me know if you try them. Fingers crossed. Enjoy!
I tried making these donuts, and they are amazing except my icing wouldnāt firm up. I used store bought icing and heated it for 10 seconds in the microwave so I could glaze the donuts, but the icing wouldnāt firm back up afterwards, I even put the donuts in the fridge. Any tips for how to stop this?
Hi Anna! Oh goodness, I’ve never had that happen. Mine always firm up pretty quickly. I wonder if it’s the brand of icing you used? Or were your donuts still warm?
I made the spice flavor cake mix and used applesauce as my second ingredient. The doughnuts came out too soft and cake like for my taste. They were like mini spice cakes. I baked them for 12 minutes, so longer than the suggested time. The next morning, I was thinking of throwing them away but decided to experiment, so I put them in a 300 degree oven for an additional 12 minutes. When they cooled, I tried one and they were excellent! They now had the consistency of a doughnut shop cake doughnut. I’m going to try my own baking method with a different flavor and second ingredient and see what happens.
I have a donut hole pan, if I scoop the cake mix into the pan with cookie scoop how long would you suggest cooking it for?
Hi Robin! I haven’t tried this recipe with a donut hole pan, but I’m guessing they’d take about 6 minutes to bake. Hope they turned out great for you. Enjoy!
Does anyone know the calories for these delicious donuts? I made chocolate with bananas and spice cake with pumpkin purƩe.
Hi Jess! Great to hear you love them! I donāt provide nutritional information at this time because everyone uses different brands of ingredients which often have differing nutritional values. I would recommend plugging the ingredients you used into a free online nutrition calculator like: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Has anyone used a silicone mold?? Difference in baketime?
So don’t hate me but I wanted to try these so badly even though I don’t own a donut pan…I made them into muffins/cupcakes! Heaven! They are amazing this way! Fluffy, moist and a crowd pleaser! I just powdered them with powdered sugar. They are beautiful and the taste and texture is amazing! I wish I could post a picture!
I was thinking of doing the same, as I don’t have a donut pan…I am just trying to understand if you use the regular size muffin pan how long to bake them for or if you use the mini muffin pan how long to bake them for…wondered if it is still the 8 minutes or considerably longer/shorter?
Hi Jennifer! They should take about 15 minutes to bake in a standard muffin pan and about 10 minutes in a mini muffin pan. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
I made chocolate cake mix with 1 cup bananas and 1 cup chocolate yogurt. Used silicon donut molds. Baked for 18 minutes, cooled for 10 minutes, removed from molds, and cooled another 10. Perfect! Got 15 donuts, probably could have got more, they came out big.
The 1st time I made these, I used red velvet cake mix with bananas and cream cheese icing…the ladies at church couldnāt believe how āhealthyā these were! They gobbled them up! Today (Christmas 2018) I tried a yellow (gluten free) cake mix and added cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg for a spice cake with applesauce – itās so hard waiting for the cooling off! So easy and yummy!
Is there a difference in the baking time between a metal, glass or silicon donut pan?
Hi Jacquie! Yes, I’ve found that recipes bake slower and get less browned/crisp around the edges with a silicon baking pan. I’ve never seen a glass donut pan so I couldn’t say for sure on that. I prefer my metal donut pans. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Hello, I am so excited to try this out. Do you think using sugar free cake mix and unsweetened apple sauce would turn out the same. My husband is diabetic and he loves this cake mix so it would be awesome to be able to make him so donuts he could enjoy
Hi Amanda! It’s certainly worth a try. I know the unsweetened applesauce will definitely work, but I’m not familiar with sugar free cake mixes so I couldn’t say for sure. If you’ve used the sugar free cake mix before and it bakes up similar to a normal cake mix, then it should work! Fingers crossed they bake up just as great and that your husband loves them!
I just made pumpkin ones with a Sugarfree yellow cake mix and pumpkin. I added pumpkin pie spice and they turned out Awesome!! The only downfall is the pre made Sugarfree frosting doesnāt harden up like a glaze would
Can I use yellow cake mix for the doughnuts? And if I use a cupcake pan, how much would I put in it and how?
Hi Aleesha! Yes, you can definitely use a yellow cake mix for any of the combinations. And to bake them as cupcakes, just divide the batter evenly among 12 muffin cups, filling each one about 2/3 full. They’ll bake for about 18-20 minutes. Enjoy!
How long can the made donuts (with icing) be stored? I was thinking of making them and then taking to work the next day. I can’t wait to make them
Hi Jaymee! They’re best if eaten within 3 days. Just store them in a single layer on a platter, covered in plastic wrap, at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Don’t seal them in a container as the moisture will release and cause the donuts to be wet and the frosting to start melting off. Enjoy!
> > > I am so EXCITED for this post . . . Pampered Chef is coming out with a mini donut pan Sept 1, 2018 and we’ve all been trying new ideas. These will def be part of the process of yumminess! Thanks for the idea and to everyone who shared.
Uh 1- i dislike the taste of pumpkin so that one isn’t an option 4 me.
2- i save my bananas for banana bread
3- I have the mott’s brand in my local store for applesauce but have never seen cinnamon applesauce where the heck do i buy THAT and if i don’t buy it how much cinnamon do i add to normal applesauce to get what you say is needed in this recipe as i assume normal applesauce can not be used because you specify cinnamon applesauce
Hi Amy! A few of the applesauce brands sell a cinnamon applesauce that is perfectly spiced with cinnamon and sugar, but you can certainly add your own. If you are using a spiced cake mix and want to increase the cinnamon flavor, try whisking in a teaspoon of cinnamon before stirring in the applesauce. Or you can definitely use normal applesauce and the donuts will still turn out great. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
This looks so fun, who knew cake mix could be used for other stuff? (I have to be careful now or I will try it for everything! LOL) I am a super klutz, I literally can’t drink water out of a glass without knocking it over, so I wondered about this part (I always like to follow new recipes exactly the first time, someone created it, and it worked, so why not?)
But here: “Transfer the batter to a gallon-size resealable baggie and seal shut. Cut a small piece off one corner off the bottom of the baggie and fill each donut ring almost completely full with batter”
I have this pic in my head of all of that spilling all over my apron and the floor. I haven’t ever made donuts but I use an ice cream scoop to get batter into cupcake tins, so I wonder if that could work. Or is it important to use the baggie?
This is my first time here and you are so nice, Maegan! I visit so many food blogs and have rarely seen such kindness and patience in the way you answer questions. I am so excited to make these! I can’t pick so darn, I might have to try all of them! Yay for “food tester” friends š
Hi Lily! You’ll love these donuts! It is much easier to fill the donut pan with the batter in a plastic bag but you can certainly spoon it in. For clarification, you’ll just put the batter in a large plastic storage bag, seal it shut, and snip a small corner off of one of the ends so you can pipe it into the donut pan. This way the batter is evenly distributed around each donut and bakes up evenly. There are a few pictures within this post showing what the batter will look like in the pan before baked as well as what the plastic bag with the batter in it looks like. Hope this helps. Happy Baking & Enjoy!
Hi I just read your post & I wanted to say I have 3 cookbooks just for cake mixs (1) The cake mix Doctor (2) chocolate from the cake mix Doctor, (3) cupcakes from the cake mix Doctor. I’m sure there are so many books out there. I have had good luck with the 3 books I have. I seen these books on QVC so before I purchased them I went to the library & took them out. Then I bought them on Amazon you can buy them new or used. Good luck ????
That’s awesome! I bet you sure enjoy cooking from them. Thanks for sharing!
These are a huge hit in my house. So far I have made the pumpkin devils food and strawberry banana. I have the stuff to make pumpkin carrot, pumpkin spice and applesauce cherry chip. I doubt my kids will ever ask to go buy donuts ever again, heh.
Yay! So great to hear, Franci! Love all your flavor combos. Continue to enjoy! š
Hi! Did the applesauce change the cherry chip flavor? I am ready to try the cherry chip cake with applesauce because I cannot think of anything different, but I want them to taste like actual cherry doughnuts. I tried a different recipe that just used the box cake, eggs, butter and milk, but it make them light and fluffy and I didnāt like that. Cake doughnuts are supposed to be dense. So I am hoping the second attempt with this 2-ingredients recipe will get what I was expecting with the first one. Just hoping they will be more cherry and less apple.
I just made the two ingredient baked cake donuts. They turned out wonderful. I used cinnamon applesauce. The only change I made was leaving them in the oven for 10 minutes. I will definitely make these again
I made these donuts with applesauce and they literally fell apart. Please tell me what went wrong.
Thanks
Carol
Hi Carol! I wonder if your donuts needed to bake longer? Were they too moist or too dry? Did you use just the dry cake mix (no water, oil or eggs)? Did you use a traditional cake mix? I make them with applesauce all the time and have never had issues with the donuts falling apart. Hopefully, we can figure out what went wrong with yours.
i was very excited to try this donut recipe this morning. i followed your instructions exactly using applesauce and blueberry muffin mix. the inside of the donut was gummy and pasty even though they were in the oven for well over the 7-8 minute bake-time. do you have any idea what may have gone wrong?? thanks !!
Hi Julie! I’m guessing it’s because you used a muffin mix instead of a cake mix. I have only tested the recipe with a cake mix.
Yep, the problem was the muffin mix! I tried again this morning with funfetti cake mix and applesauce, & they turned out wonderfully!! Huge hit with the kiddies!! Thanks for the recipe & the help!! š
Yay! So happy to hear. Enjoy! š
Hi just wondering if I can transfer the batter to a cake pan..thank youā
Hi Lucia! Yes, you’ll just need to bake it longer. Check the suggested baking time on the back of the cake mix box for the size of cake pan you use, but check it often to make sure it doesn’t over-bake. Enjoy!
Hi there so are these supposed to be vegan?
As long as the cake mix you use is vegan, they certainly could be. Enjoy!
I made devils food donuts dipped in chocolate icing and yellow cake donuts dipped in strawberry icing. I also used the recipe with my whoopie pie pans and used carrot cake and cream cheese icing. I didn’t heat the icing for the whoopie pies. The donuts and whoopie pies all turned out fantastic. I’m so glad I found your recipe. Thank you from me, my hubby and his coworkers!
Made donuts using cinnabon cake mix, homemade applesauce and pumpkin pie spice. Instead of using frosting I rolled the donuts in Splenda mix (part Splenda and regular granulated sugar) . Did not have a donut pan so instead used a mini bundt cake pan. They came out looking absolutely beautiful, smelled so great and the taste was fantastic!! Thank you for such a simple and quick way to make these!????
Spice cake mix with 15 oz can of pure pumpkin with a couple heaping tablespoons of healthy flax seeds! 20 minutes at 350 degrees..top with cream cheese icing!
Sounds delish, Meem! So happy you made them your own and are enjoying them! š
This sounds healthy. I buy sugar free cake mixes at Walmart which are healthy. A little pricey.
Used the spice cake mix with applesauce . Followed directions carefully. Bought a donut pan just to try the recipe out.
The results are doughnut shaped but taste nothing at all like a cake doughnut! They are soft and taste like a spice cake not like a doughnut.
Very disappointing!
Oh Donna, I’m sorry they didn’t turn out like you wanted them to. They are definitely a soft and cake-y donut (as stated in the post) with a thin crisp exterior to them thanks to baking them at 425 degrees.
Does this have to be made into donuts or muffins? I would like to make it in a cake pan. Maybe adjust the baking time??
Hi Kylie! Absolutely, you can bake the recipe in a cake pan. I would recommend decreasing the oven temperature to 350 degrees and baking for about 15 minutes, watching it closely. Let me know how it turns out! Enjoy!
I used a triple chocolate cake mix and bananas. Baked at 350 in a 13×9 cake pan for about 20-25 min. It was delicious. Very moist w only a hint of banana taste that I didn’t mind at all. I didn’t frost it but I bet if I had it would mask the banana taste. Only problem I had was I ate half the pan myself!
Can I use with a baby cakes donut maker?
Hi Raven! I’ve never used a baby cakes donut maker before, but I don’t see why not. Certainly worth a try! I hope they turn out just as great. Enjoy!
They did. Thank you!
Oh I want to know this too!
You can use it! I did and they were great
I tried this with questionable results. First, I used silicone pans, and only got ten donuts. I used applesauce and spice cake mix. (Used what was in the pictures). First, I had to double the baking time to 16 minutes. Then I let them cool for almost 20 minutes, and still had issues getting them out. I think if I had used a metal pan, it might have turned out differently. The flavor is good, but I am not sure I will try this again. I will see if I let them sit out overnight if the glazing will work or not.
Hi Tom! I’m sorry to hear this. Something definitely went wrong with either the ingredients you used or the pan you used because they certainly shouldn’t bake much longer than 8 minutes. Did you use just 2 cups of the applesauce? Did you use a standard spice cake mix (just the dry mix, NO oil, water, eggs, etc.)?
I did spice cake and applesauce in a silicone pan as well. It took about 15 minutes to cook and I let them cool for about 20 minutes. They turned out delicious but I did have to bake them for double the amount of time.
Has anyone ever tried just pureed strawberries?
I used triple chocolate cake and shredded zucchini mixed with one egg as my add in. They were a hit and no one had any idea they had zucchini in them! I’m still being hounded for the recipe.
I do want to try the zucchini next time without the egg and see how they turn out. I’m just a bit reluctant…why fix it if it isn’t broken, as they say…..
Hi Elle! That’s such a great idea! I want to try them with just zucchini now too. Enjoy! š
Hi Elle,
How much zucchini and egg mixture did you use as the add in? Did you beat the egg first, or just stir it into the grated zucchini? Also, was the zucchini raw or cooked?
Thanks,
Tracy
Hi Tracy,
I used 2 cups of raw, shredded zucchini and 1 egg. I beat the egg slightly with a fork and then stirred it into the zucchini before adding it to the dry cake mix. Stir all ingredients until completely mixed; then bake.
Enjoy; they are delicious!
Elle
Wondering if sour cream or greek yogurt could be used as the mix in to make a denser, richer donut. Has anyone tried this?
Hi Jennifer! I know some people have used yogurt with success. Hope this helps and that they turn out great! Enjoy!
Can I use a 14 oz quick bread mix in place of a cake mix?
Hi Mary! I think a quick bread mix will work great! The baking time might vary slightly, so just watch them carefully. Enjoy!
I tried this recipe yesterday! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Easiest recipe I have found! I have a 20 count pan, so making a big batch was easy!
Hi Anova! So happy you baked and loved these easy donuts as much as we do. Thanks for sharing! Enjoy!
I want to make sugar cookie flavor donuts. What cake mix and mix in would you recommend? Also peppermint flavored?
Hi Juanita! I would recommend a white cake mix with applesauce as the mix-in and then vanilla frosting glaze with a sprinkle of sugar on top for a sugar cookie version. Or you could mix in cinnamon applesauce for a snickerdoodle-like version with a vanilla glaze and a cinnamon sugar sprinkle. For peppermint, I would recommend a white cake mix with applesauce and peppermint extract mixed in and then a vanilla glaze with crushed peppermint sprinkled on top. Or you could do a chocolate cake mix with applesauce and peppermint extract mixed in and then a vanilla glaze with the crushed peppermint sprinkled on top. So many yummy ways to make these donuts! Enjoy!
Can I replace bananas with anything… ? I want to make the strawberry ones
Hi Jonnie! Yes, you can use 2 cups applesauce or 1 (15 ounce) can of pure pumpkin in place of the banana. Enjoy!
I used cherry pie filling with chocolate cake mix and iced with cream cheese icing. YUM
Did you puree the cherry pie filling?
love baked donuts! These look perfect! Pinned!
If I want to cover with cinnamon sugar can I do that? Would I do better using spice cake mix with cinnamon apple sauce?
Yes and yes! Cinnamon sugar coated apple spice donuts would be AMAZING! Such a great idea! I can’t wait to try this variation myself. Enjoy!
THEY FREEZE WONDERFULLY! Thanks for the recipe.
I am alone now so when I baked these I let them cool for about 2 hours then I wrapped them in plastic wrap, then in foil and placed them in the freezer. When I knew someone was coming to the apartment complex office I took some to the manager during the holiday season. Twice she called me and asked if I had extras. I was glad I made 5 boxes of the cake mix.
I used carrot, vanilla (x 2), yellow and spice. Everyone was asking for the recipe. Waited until January 1 to give it to her. She has already made 7 batches.
Thank you for sharing this great idea! I made the chocolate with pumpkin. Chocolate glaze. Your directions were great!!! They were wonderful!
So great to hear, Diane! We love love the chocolate pumpkin combo too! š
If I use fresh blueberries do I measure the two cups of mix in before or after I mash them?
Hi Judy! I haven’t tested the recipe with fresh blueberries so I couldn’t say for sure how they would turn out. I would recommend testing it with 2 cups of mashed fresh blueberries so you have a puree like texture to add to the cake mix. Hope this helps and that they turn out great! Enjoy!
Just made these with strawberry cake mix and bananas! (Skipped the mixing bowl and just mashed it real well in the plastic bag.) They smell amazing!
I am just curious if anyone has used avacado instead of the pumpkin or applesauce?
What would you mix in with funfetti cake mix?
Hi Jennie! So fun! I would use either applesauce or mashed banana. Enjoy!
Should I store in air tight container or refrigerator? How long do they stay fresh?
Hi Natasha! I keep them on a platter covered in plastic wrap either at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
SO excited to make these! Going to try the spice cake mix with cream cheese frosting – office treats for a new team member tomorrow – hope they are as yummy as they look!
Lucky team members! š Enjoy!
They look so good and only 2 ingredients made chocolate w/applesauce dolled your directions and guess what they all fell apart ! I don’t give up so will try again !
Oh no, Sandra! What kind of cake mix did you use? Did you use a donut pan? Maybe they needed to cool in the donut pan longer? Were they too moist or too dry? I’m here to help you to success! š
Mine fell apart too! Too light, more like a cake.
Hi Susan! Did they fall apart when you were removing them from the pan or dipping them in the glaze? Were they too moist? I’m thinking you either needed to let them bake longer or cool more before removing them from the pan. They are cake donuts so they should definitely have a cake texture.
Do they stay soft or do they get hard quick. Was thinking about making some for the holidays to take to work. So I guess what I’m asking is how many days would you say they stay pretty soft?
Thank you
Barb adamson
Hi Barb! They definitely stay soft for a few days and actually get even softer over time. I recommend storing them in the refrigerator, loosely covered, and then setting them out to come to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!
My LO and I made strawberry banana and chocolate (used chocolate fudge cake mix) pumpkin ones this morning and there is a slight pumpkin flavor but very mild and once you put the frosting on it’s pretty much non-existent! SO Yummy!
Has anyone tried them with gluten free cake mix that they sell at the stores. Thanks!
Hi!
Yes, I have tried it with king author chocolate cake mix and pillsbury cake mix ( both are gluten free ). They both came out fantastic! My family loved them … they keep asking me to make moreš
I don’t have a doughnut pan can i use a muffin pan?
Hi Dani! Yes, a muffin pan would work great. Enjoy!
Could you make these as a cake? Would you then add the cake ingredients too? Or should I keep it the same and use my muffin tin? (I also don’t have a donut tray)
Hi Leah! The recipe can be made as a cake or muffins with the same ingredients. Just adjust your baking time to the recommended baking time on the box for the pan you’re using. No need to add the cake ingredients too. Enjoy!
Do you mix cake ingredients first?
Hi William! There are only two ingredients in the recipe. The cake mix and one mix-in. No oil, water or eggs (as called for on the cake mix box) should be used. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the recipe
Im going to make some this morning. Merry Christmas
Great idea! I made pumpkin spice donuts and frosted with salted caramel frosting and topped with chopped pecans. They were fabulous! Question: If you make the chocolate ones with pumpkin, do they have a pumpkin flavor? Or, with applesauce, can you taste the applesauce? Thanks! Debbie
Hi Debbie! Yum! The version you made sounds amazing! No, you can’t taste the pumpkin in the pumpkin chocolate unless you add pumpkin spice or used already spiced canned pumpkin. Same with the applesauce because the flavors from the cake mix usually overpower it. Unless you used a flavored applesauce. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
They look great!
I’m the only one on my house who eats bananas & they would have a fit if they could taste it lol.
I will probably try the pumpkin or applesauce.
Can I use regular applesauce or does it have to be cinnamon?
Hi Shanta! Regular applesauce works and tastes great. Enjoy!
We did the pumpkin chocolate and while we didn’t specifically taste the pumpkin, it did change the chocolate flavor, I will probably use a different mix in with chocolate. Quick and easy to make, very tender and break apart easily while frosting.
I make the pumpkin and spice they were delicious! The chocolate and pumpkin I didnāt care for. The texture is nice be lack chocolate flavor.
[…] 2-Ingredient Baked Apple Cinnamon Donuts from The Baker Mama […]
I made black forest donuts today (devil’s foodcake mix and cherry pie filling) and they are AMAZING!!! And what’s more, no one can judge you for licking the spoon since there’s no egg in it. ????
Why do my doughnuts fall a part when I pick them up?
Hi Tina! Which mix-in did you use? It sounds like the donuts were either too moist, that they needed to bake longer or that they needed to cool in the pan longer. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
I was wondering if I could use a white cake mix with the applesauce, maple syrup or extract? As far as the frosting I want to have a maple flavor bec I’m topping it with bits of thick cut bacon. What frosting would you use & how much maple syrup or extract should I use? Thank you for your help I can’t wait to make these.
Hi Larina! That sounds delicious! I would recommend reducing some of the applesauce to accommodate for the maple syrup in the donuts and then use a cream cheese frosting and add maple syrup to it one tablespoon at a time until it is of desired maple flavor. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Can i use canned pie fillings too and how many ounces. I made vanilla blueberry I found it really dense ? How many ounces to use please. Thank you
What GF Cake mix did you use?