Baked funfetti birthday cake donuts are a wonderful alternative to a birthday cake, baked and fluffy with a light vanilla glaze, festive sprinkles, dairy free and easy to make in one bowl using 6 main wholesome ingredients.
Baked funfetti birthday cake donuts are easy to make in one bowl, and have them baked and iced in under half an hour. Mine have a fluffy light inside texture, and firm structure that allows them to easily be coated.
These donuts are topped with a vanilla glaze like my baked pumpkin donuts, but you can also use a chocolate glaze like my chocolate frosted donuts or powder them like my baked powdered donuts here.
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Celebrate with Birthday Donuts
Celebrating a birthday can go beyond a cake. These birthday cake donuts are one example. Stack them in a pile and put a candle on top. I also have used healthy chocolate cupcakes, and my birthday sugar cookie bars and even my funfetti sugar cookies although those are usually in addition to the cake.
Of course you can still opt for my fluffy vegan vanilla cake or my healthy chocolate cake - both are healthy, dairy-free, and made from easy wholesome ingredients. But donuts are easier to prepare and decorate. Stack the festive donuts, and pop a candle on top for the big happy birthday chorus and then dispense.
Equipment & Ingredients
Regarding equipment, you'll need a bowl, mixer and a donut pan. Then you'll need ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
Flour. I used all purpose, or baking 1-to-1 gluten-free.
Sugar. I used organic cane sugar but regular cane sugar is fine. Organic just tastes better.
Milk + lemon juice. This helps replace eggs and lift the donut texture.
Applesauce. Egg replacer.
Coconut oil. Or butter as a binder to give the donuts structure. The coconut oil can be solid. Butter should be room temperature.
Leaveners. Baking soda, baking powder
Flavors. vanilla, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg to give the donut's a bakery flavor.
For the glaze:
Powdered sugar, milk and sprinkles
Steps to Make
Step 1: Cream together your milk + lemon juice, applesauce, coconut oil, vanilla, and sugar.
batter
Step 2: Add the leaveners, salt and spices, and flour, and mix until smooth. I use my hand mixer.
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Step 3: Put the batter into a cake frosting bag or a ziplock bag, snip the bag tip, and pipe the batter into a donut pan.
Step 4: Sprinkle on sprinkles. Bake at 375 F for 12-15 minutes.
Step 5: Let the donuts cool for 10 minutes, then tip them out onto a rack. Allow them to cool completely before making the frosting.
Storage
Store these donuts at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate in a sealed container for a week, or freeze for three months.
Recipe Tips
Don't forget the nutmeg. A dash of ground nutmeg will give your donut's the after taste of a delicious bakery shop donut.
How to prepare your pan. Use a non-stick spray or simply run coconut oil on the inside of your donut pan wells and even on top to catch donut overflow.
How to fill your donut pan. Make it easier to fill your frosting bag by tucking the bag into a tall glass. Fill it with batter, then twist the top of the bag, cut the tip about 1 inch from the tip, and pipe the batter into your donuts to just under the rim.
How to glaze. Mix up the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl. Dip the donuts when they are cooled, sprinkle and set on a cooling rack over a piece of parchment paper to catch the drips.
Variations
Increase the protein in these already healthier donuts by replacing half the flour with chickpea flour, or replacing 4 tablespoon of flour with a protein powder. And you can always add in a teaspoon of flaxseed or chia seeds. These changes should add nutrition with no impact on baking.
FAQS
These birthday donuts are gluten free because of gluten free flour. You'll also want to be sure your baking powder is gluten free.
Yes, this recipe produces a batter that bakes into a donut that has the texture of a cupcake. It's sturdier than a donut fried in oil, and healthier.
Baked donuts stay fresh in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days.
Bake 14-16 donuts, then pile them in a pyramid and decorate with icing and sprinkles and put a candle into each donut.
Baked donuts are healthier because they are not submerged in unhealthy oils, but they are still a cake with sugar so should be eaten as a dessert.
More Healthy Donuts
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📖 Recipe
Funfetti Birthday Cake Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 cup flour
- ⅓ cup organic cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoon coconut oil (or butter, both room temperature)
- ½ cup dairy-free milk
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon apple sauce unsweetened
- pinch of salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (for bakery shop flavor)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Donut Glaze
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon dairy-free milk (or more if glaze is too dry)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Useful Equipment
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Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a doughnut pan with a thin layer of coconut oil.
- In a measuring cup, stir the lemon juice into the milk and set aside for 5 minutes.
Make Donuts
- Mix the wet ingredients.⅓ cup organic cane sugar, 4 tablespoon coconut oil, ½ cup dairy-free milk, ½ tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoon apple sauce, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients.1 cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, pinch of salt, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pour the batter into a frosting piping bag or a ziplock bag and snip the corner. Pipe the batter into each donut well.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are just faintly golden brown.
- Let cool 10 minutes. Flip out of pan.
Make Glaze.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, milk, and vanilla. Dip each donut on one side, sprinkle with sprinkles.1 ¼ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon dairy-free milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- Store refrigerated in a sealed container, although they are best eaten same day.
Tiffany says
Hi Dee,
These are too adorable to devour! Question, can oat flour be used in this recipe?
Dee Dine says
Thank you! If you want to use oat flour, here is the same recipe adjusted for oat flour. https://greensmoothiegourmet.com/baked-powdered-donuts/ You can simple ice instead of powder.
Leah says
the addition of nutmeg is interesting. I've got to try this. I also gave up donut shop donuts so looking forward to this recipe
Dee Dine says
Thank you Leah, let me know how it goes! Dee