I don’t make Donuts often, but these Homemade Cinnamon Cake Donuts are my new favourite! A soft dough with a touch of one of my favourite Fall flavors, cinnamon, and then rolled while still warm in a cinnamon sugar combination. The perfect anytime Donut.

This traditional fried donut is made a little different than my Cinnamon Baked Cake Donuts but just as delicious.

With the arrival of Fall, I think we all just crave a little Comfort Food and I don’t just mean a Casserole or Pasta Dish. I’m talking Dessert, especially a Cinnamon Dessert.

In Italy donuts are the way to go. I love my fried Italian Donuts. Although I do love my Cake Donuts with a cup of coffee or tea.

But when someone mentions donuts I always think of those soft, cinnamon Cake Donuts, I would sometimes treat myself to in Canada.

cake donuts how to make mixing the dough and cutting out the donuts

So when I discovered this deep fried (yes deep fried and no, I wouldn’t bake these) Cinnamon Cake Donut Recipe from a friend I knew I had to make them.

And they are yeast free too!

They are everything and more than I remember. Even my Italian friends were impressed.

Table of Contents

Tips for making the Best Cake Donuts

Make sure your dough is soft and a little sticky, (if too sticky just add a little more flour). Dough should be wrapped in plastic and chilled for about one hour.

If you are using a medium heavy pot for frying then fill the pot with approximately two inches of vegetable oil (I use an oil for frying).

cake donuts in a basket and one leaning against the basket

And make sure to heat your oil using a candy thermometer to 360-370F (180-185C), and be sure to keep it as close to this temperature as possible while frying the donuts.

Higher will only cook the donuts on the outside much too quickly, therefore the inside will not be done. Cooking too low a temperature will produce greasy heavy donuts, and this is exactly what we don’t want.

Once the donuts are cooked make sure to drain them on a couple of paper towels, but while they are still warm roll in a sugar cinnamon mixture.

Because these donuts are fried I strongly recommend eating them asap, fried foods aren’t the best kinds of foods to be kept for more than a day.

Tools needed for making Cake Donuts

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I just did a baking class and the instructor advised us that the Best Rolling Pins are the ones without the handles, because pressing on the handles puts too much pressure on the centre of the dough.

And of course don’t forget one of those nifty Donut Cutters.

If you are using a heavy pot a Thermometer is a must have, you need it to get your oil to the right temperature.

To fry these donuts I just used a heavy pot and filled it with two inches of vegetable oil, but one of my next purchases is definitely going to be an Electric Deep Fryer!

So if you plan on making these Homemade Donuts I hope you enjoy them, and let me know what you think. Enjoy and Have a wonderful Sunday!

Homemade Cinnamon Cake Donuts

Rosemary Molloy

These Cake Donuts are made with a soft, touch of cinnamon dough, then rolled while still warm in a cinnamon sugar combination. So Delicious!

5 from 16 votes

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 6

chilling time 1

Total Time 26

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings donuts

Calories 340 kcal

Ingredients

FOR THE DONUT DOUGH

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or nutmeg, whichever you prefer)
1 pinch salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter (salted, melted and cooled)
2 cups all purpose flour

Enough vegetable oil for deep frying (I use an oil made for frying).

CINNAMON/SUGAR TOPPING

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

In a large bowl mix together the sugar, baking powder, cinnamon (or nutmeg) and salt, then add the egg, milk and melted butter and combine.
Add 1 1/2 cups of flour and beat, starting on low speed increase to medium (with dough hook) combine, then add remaining flour, the dough will be soft and a little sticky (but firm enough to handle), if too sticky add more flour a tablespoon at a time.
Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for one hour.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a medium heavy pot (or follow the directions if using a deep fryer) using a candy thermometer until temperature reaches 360-370F (180-185C).
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thick (1.2 cm), cut out with a donut cutter (be sure to fry the donut holes also).
Carefully drop the donuts two at a time into the hot oil (keep the temperature at 360F or as close as possible). Flip the donuts as they puff up, turn a couple of times as they fry approximately 2-3 minutes, or until golden.
Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain for a 30-60 seconds on a plate lined with paper towels. Roll warm donuts in cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

CINNAMON SUGAR

In a small bowl combine well the sugar and cinnamon.

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 6gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 62mgPotassium: 217mgFiber: 1gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 195IUCalcium: 92mgIron: 2.2mg

Keyword deep fried cake donuts, homemade cinnamon donuts

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