Any donut lovers out there? I’ve got a special treat for you! This easy-to-make carrot cake donut recipe is downright delicious. These donuts are wonderfully spiced and scrumptiously topped with delectable icing, fresh walnuts, and pecans.
Carrot cake donuts
Baked carrot cake donuts are deliciously mouth-watering. They intricately combine a mix of the most straightforward and most flavorful ingredients producing a succulent treat so lovely it feels like the perfect warm hug on a cold winter night (even if this donut recipe is perfect year-round).
These baked cake donuts make a yummy breakfast or dessert, depending on what you’re in the mood for. They are rich in flavor, fluffy to touch, and come together in just under 1 hour.
Want more delicious donuts?
This easy-to-follow recipe takes only 35 minutes to create and serves up to 9 donuts. And no, you don’t really have to share these fantastic goodies. It is genuinely as easy as one, two, three! Serve these up for a yummy breakfast, bring them to a brunch event for a show-stopping crowd-pleaser, or make them for a delicious treat that you can keep to yourself. No matter how you serve them or who you serve them to, this carrot cake donut recipe will bring a smile to everyone’s face. Don’t believe me? Give it a try and see for yourself!
Honestly, these carrot donuts give a whole new meaning to eating your vegetables. Carrots and a treat? Yes, please! And another bonus? Carrots are said to improve one’s eyesight; your vision is about to become 20-20! Okay, maybe they aren’t that magical, but they embody incredible flavors that will delight your palate and have you coming back for more.
What’s the difference between cake donut and regular?
It’s all in the baking process! Regular donuts are fried, while cake donuts are baked. Baked donuts tend to be made with a denser dough and make for the perfect combination of fluffy yet moist cakes. The result? An incredibly tasty treat that is healthier than their fried counterparts.
Carrot Cake Donuts: Tips, Tricks, and FAQ
If you still have a few lingering questions, take a quick look through some answers to frequently asked questions below.
Why Baked and Not Fried?
Baked donuts have uniquely rich flavor and texture, making them my absolute favorite. Don’t get me wrong, I also love fried yeast donuts, but there’s just something special about baking up nostalgic breakfast treats that make me feel like a kid again.
But also, on the logistical side, baking donuts isn’t as messy as their fried counterparts. The need for hot oil and the yeasted dough doesn’t come into play here, which means you are on the fast track to eating your carrot cake donut goodies.
What Can I Use if I Don’t Have a Donut Pan?
Unless you’re a seasoned baker or a donut expert, a donut pan likely doesn’t exist in your kitchen. Don’t let that stop you from trying this recipe, though. There are a few ways around it. No donut pans. No problem!
- Muffin Tin: If you have a muffin tin available, use tin foil or parchment paper to recreate the shape of a donut and place it inside the cups of your muffin tin. They might not turn out as beautifully, but they’ll have the classic hole-in-the-middle shape of a donut.
- Cookie sheet: If you don’t have a muffin tin, perhaps you have a cookie sheet. You can free form the shape of your carrot cake donuts by piping them directly onto a cookie sheet. You can even use makeshift molds made from tin foil!
- Cookie Cutters: If you want to try using cookie cutters, they work particularly well if you have different sizes. Place a smaller cookie cutter inside a larger one and pipe in your batter in between. If you only have one size, pipe along the inside and form a hole in the middle with balled-up tin foil or parchment paper.
- Donut Holes: If none of these other options work for you, I have one more idea to offer. Turn these your baked carrot cake donuts into donut holes! Mold your batter into ball shapes and bake. Their form may turn out a bit nontraditional, but that can be your extra special touch. Nothing can stand in the way of you enjoying these delicious treats.
Remember, you’re baking these donuts in the oven, so anything that can withstand an oven’s heat can be finessed into a donut pan in the direst of circumstances.
How Do I Store Homemade Carrot Cake Donuts?
Whenever you bake anything that needs to be stored, always make sure to use an airtight container. Doing so allows you to lock out any moisture that could potentially alter the texture of your carrot cake donuts. When storing, they should last up to two days.
Tips For Icing Carrot Cake Donuts
If you’re having trouble dipping your donuts into the icing, you can also use a spoon to spread it on. I utilize the spoon method when making this carrot cake donut recipe! I’m an icing fanatic, and I find the spoon allows me to create a thicker layer.
Lastly, be sure to let your donuts cool a bit before adding your delicious icing. If they’re too hot, the icing will melt. However, a little bit of warmth can help the icing adhere to the donut’s outer layer.
Ingredients for Baked Carrot Cake Donuts
I don’t know about you, but all this carrot cake talk makes me want to bake another batch for myself. If you’re like me and are ready to dive in, here’s a quick list of everything you’ll need to gather to be set up for success.
Baking Tools
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Doughnut pan
- Baking sheet
- Whisk
- large mixing bowl
- Ziplock bags
- Hand mixer
- Knife
- Spoon
And now to the yummy stuff!
Donut Ingredient List
- grated carrots
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- cinnamon
- teaspoon ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
- ground cloves
- salt
- egg
- light brown sugar
- milk (any milk of your choice)
- coconut oil
- vanilla extract
Icing & Toppings Ingredient List
- cream cheese (softened)
- unsalted butter
- powdered sugar
- milk (any milk of your choice)
- chopped walnuts
- chopped pecans
How do you make carrot cake donuts?
Prepare the batter
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease your donut pan with a nonstick spray.
- Peel and grate your carrots.
- In a medium bowl whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the egg and brown sugar with a hand mixer, until light brown. Then add your milk, coconut oil and vanilla extract and stir all to combine.
- Grab the bowl of dry ingredients and add them to the large bowl with wet ingredients. Don’t overmix, just stir to combine. After everything has been mixed, add your shredded carrots and simply fold them in.
Bake the donuts
- Put the batter in a ziplock bag, cut off a small corner, and pour the batter into your donut pan. Make sure to fill for about 2/3 per donut.
- Bake your donuts for 14-16 minutes over 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until cooked inside. Once done, take out of the oven and let cool off on a wire rack. Do not turn the oven off yet.
- Toast your walnuts and pecans for 5-6 minutes in the oven. Once done, let cool off and turn the oven off.
Prepare the frosting
- Prepare your icing by combining your cream cheese and butter. Mix these with the hand mixer until smooth.
- Add your powdered sugar until all ingredients are combined well.
- Add your milk very slowly, make sure to test your consistency throughout to make sure it isn’t too thick or too thin.
- Dip each donut in the cream cheese frosting, twist and turn to make sure they are covered. I used a small spoon to add a thicker layer and just spread it out.
- Chop your walnuts and pecans and add to your icing. Additionally you can sprinkle them with a few tablespoons of easter sprinkles for the most festive look!
Have everything you need? Jump to the recipe card and start baking your way to carrot cake goodness!
Let’s not waste any more time drooling over the thought of these baked carrot cake donuts and get straight to whipping up their deliciousness. Once you’ve baked them, let me know what you think in the comments below!
And, as always, happy baking!
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Baked carrot cake donuts
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Doughnut pan
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Ziplock bags
- Knife
- electric mixer
Ingredients
For the donuts
- ½ cup carrots peeled and grated
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ ground ginger
- ¼ ground nutmeg
- ¼ ground cloves
- ¼ salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup milk any milk of your choice
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting
- 2 oz. cream cheese softened
- 2 tbsp unslated butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1.5-2 tsp milk any milk of your choice
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease your donut pan with a nonstick spray. Peel and grate your carrots.
- In a medium bowl whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the egg and brown sugar with a hand mixer, until light brown. Then add your milk, coconut oil and vanilla extract and stir all to combine.
- Grab the bowl of dry ingredients and add them to the large bowl with wet ingredients. Don’t overmix, just stir to combine.
- After everything has been mixed, add your carrots and simply fold them in.
- Put the batter in a ziplock bag, cut off a small corner, and pour the batter into your donut pan. Make sure to fill for about 2/3 per donut.
- Bake your donuts for 14-16 minutes over 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until cooked inside. Once done, take out of the oven and let cool off on cooling rack. Do not turn the oven off yet.
- Toast your walnuts and pecans for 5-6 minutes in the oven. Once done, let cool off and turn the oven off.
- Prepare your icing by combining your cream cheese and butter. Mix these with the hand mixer until smooth. Add your powdered sugar until all ingredients are combined well.
- Add your milk very slowly, make sure to test your consistency throughout to make sure it isn’t too thick or too thin.
- Dip each donut in the icing, twist and turn to make sure they are covered. I used a small spoon to add a thicker layer and just spread it out.
- Chop your walnuts and pecans and add to your icing.
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