Christmas was my favorite holiday as a kid. I loved the decorations, the cookies, the presents and the traditions. But I have to admit that a different holiday may have edged out Christmas, at least when it comes to baking. I absolutely adore Halloween baking! There’s so much room for creativity, whether you’re looking for something spooky, whimsical or anything in between. Today I’m sharing my recipe for chocolate cake donuts. I dressed them up as monsters using an assortment of eye sprinkles. Simple, but cute! And maybe even a little bit spooky. 🙂
Are you looking for more Halloween inspiration? I’ve teamed up with a few bloggers for a virtual haunted house-themed Halloween party! The idea is for each of us to Insta-bring what we would take to a real-life party. Amy from A Red Spatula created meatball mummies, which I’m obsessed with! Doua from DIY Bucket List concocted the creepiest brain parfaits. Kathryn from Worn Slap Out made five easy, healthy snacks for Halloween. And Lori from Giggle Living made dark chocolate cupcakes and showed us how she would style a haunted dinner party. Be sure and check everything out!
This recipe yields 10-12 soft and fudgy donuts, so you’ll need two standard-sized pans. Grease them with cooking spray and use a paper towel to swirl it inside each donut well and to dab off any excess spray.
Start by melting the baker’s chocolate. Mix in the espresso powder and set it aside to cool slightly.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, sour cream and vanilla until completely smooth, and then whisk in the melted chocolate.
Gradually fold in the flour mixture and buttermilk until everything is just combined. Scoop the batter into a large ziplock bag and cut off one of the tips, so that the opening is about an inch wide. Pipe the batter into each donut well so that it’s about 3/4 full. I always end up with 11 donuts.
I recommend placing the ziplock bag inside a cup so that it’s easier to scoop in the batter.
Bake the donuts for 8 to 10 minutes. Mine were done in 10, but remember that oven temperatures vary.
Wait until the donuts are almost cool to start making the glaze, because it comes together quickly. Dip the top of each donut in the glaze and place it back on the cooling rack. Put a sheet of wax paper or a rimmed baking sheet underneath the cooling rack to catch any dripping chocolate. Dip a few donuts, add sprinkles and then continue the dipping and decorating process.
These chocolate cake donuts are a festive treat for any Halloween party or family gathering. I’ve also dressed them up for fall!
Tag me @rosesandwhiskers on Instagram if you try the recipe and use the #hashtag rosesandwhiskers. Happy baking! 
Halloween Chocolate Cake Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour or substitute all-purpose flour for gluten-full donuts
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 oz. semi-sweet baker's chocolate
- 1/4 tsp espresso powder
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
Chocolate Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- assorted sprinkles
Instructions
- Lightly grease two donut pans with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). (I use a paper towel to evenly distribute the spray in each well and to dab off any excess.) This recipe yields 10-12 donuts.
- Melt the baker's chocolate in the microwave in a heatproof bowl. Mix the espresso powder with the melted chocolate until completely combined. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, egg, sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Then whisk in the melted chocolate until smooth. Fold in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of the buttermilk, another 1/3 of the flour, the remaining buttermilk and the remaining flour.
- Spoon the batter into a large plastic bag and cut off the tip, making a hole about an inch wide. Pipe the batter into the greased donut wells, about 3/4 full. I usually get 11 donuts, but you might be able to squeeze out a 12th!
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave the donuts in the pan for 3 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack.
Making the Glaze
- Make the chocolate glaze while the donuts are cooling. (Wait until the donuts are almost cool before starting.)
- Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Then whisk in the vanilla and milk until smooth. Dip the top of each cooled donut into the glaze and place the donut back on the rack, with a sheet of wax paper or a rimmed baking sheet underneath to catch any dripping chocolate. Smooth the chocolate with a spoon if needed. Dip a few donuts and then decorate with eye sprinkles before dipping the rest.
- Store in an airtight container on the counter. Best enjoyed in the first day or two after making them.
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These are the cutest doughnuts ever! I’m definitely trying these yummy looking treats! So cute!
Thank you, Lori!! I hope you like them!!