I stumbled on a surprisingly simple Strawberry Donuts method using fresh berries and a donut mold pan that pares the usual fuss down to the essentials.
I never thought a simple pan could make anything that tasted like summer, but these Strawberry Donuts changed my mind. Using all purpose flour and lots of fresh strawberries the batter turns into tender, slightly crumbly Cake Donuts Baked in a donut mold pan.
It nearly feels like cheating, and the glaze with powdered sugar sings like jam on top. There are little mistakes you can make that actually make them better, I learned that the hard way, and now I cant stop making them.
Trust me its messy, surprising and totally worth it.
Ingredients
- Mostly carbs and some protein, gives structure, not very nutrient dense, can be refined.
- Pure simple carbs, makes it sweet, no fiber or vitamins, quick energy crash.
- Adds richness and flavor, mostly saturated fat little protein, helps tender crumb.
- Tangy, provides acidity for rise and flavor, adds calcium and some protein.
- Fresh fruit gives natural sweetness fiber vitamin C bright color and tart notes.
- Fine sweetener for glossy glaze, mostly carbs, makes donuts visually irresistible.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temp
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) melted unsalted butter, cooled
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (about 150 g) fresh strawberries, mashed or finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh strawberry puree or strained mashed strawberries
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze)
- pinch of salt (for glaze)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream, if needed to thin glaze, optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a donut pan well or use nonstick spray, this helps the donuts come out cleanly.
2. In a large bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt until evenly mixed.
3. In another bowl whisk 1 large room temperature egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup cooled melted unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Mash or finely chop about 1 cup fresh strawberries and fold them into the wet mixture. If you want a smooth pink glaze later, reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mashed strawberries and strain out the seeds for the glaze.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold with a spatula until just combined, a few small lumps are fine, do not overmix or the donuts will get dense.
6. Spoon the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off and pipe into the prepared donut pan cavities filling each about three quarters full. Smooth tops with a spoon if needed.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the donuts cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make the glaze by whisking 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh strawberry puree or strained mashed strawberries, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for the glaze and a pinch of salt. If the glaze is too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream a little at a time until it reaches a dip-able consistency.
9. Dip fully cooled donuts into the glaze, let excess drip off and return to the wire rack so the glaze can set. Garnish with extra chopped strawberries or sprinkles if you want, and serve.
Equipment Needed
1. Donut pan (nonstick or well greased)
2. Mixing bowls, one large for dry and one medium for wet
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Whisk, and a rubber spatula
5. Piping bag or zip top bag with corner snipped off
6. Small bowl or food processor for mashing/straining strawberries
7. Wire cooling rack (plus a baking sheet to catch drips)
8. Sifter or fine mesh sieve and a toothpick for doneness checks
FAQ
Strawberry Cake Donuts Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour → Cake flour for a softer crumb: you can use cake flour 1:1, or make a DIY cake flour by measuring 1 cup AP flour, removing 2 tablespoons and replacing them with 2 tablespoons cornstarch then sift. Whole wheat pastry flour works 1:1 too but it’ll be a bit denser and nuttier.
- Buttermilk → Milk + acid or yogurt: for 1/2 cup buttermilk stir 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice and let sit 5 minutes. Or use plain yogurt or sour cream thinned with a little water to a pourable consistency, same volume.
- Melted unsalted butter → Neutral oil or melted coconut oil: for 1/4 cup butter use about 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil to keep texture right, or swap 1:1 with melted refined coconut oil if you don’t mind a slight coconut note.
- Fresh strawberries → Frozen thawed or freeze dried powder: use about the same weight of thawed, well-drained frozen strawberries (mash and strain if needed), or use freeze dried strawberry powder for concentrated flavor and color (start with a tablespoon and adjust).
Pro Tips
1) Measure the flour right. If you scoop straight from the bag with a cup it packs down and you’ll get heavy dense donuts. Spoon the flour into the cup then level it off or better yet use a kitchen scale, it’s way more reliable and you’ll notice the difference.
2) Don’t overmix the batter. Fold gently until you just don’t see big streaks of flour, a few small lumps are fine. Overworking the batter makes the donuts tough and chewy, not light and tender.
3) For a smooth, bright pink glaze, reserve a little of the mashed strawberries and press them through a fine mesh to remove seeds. Add powdered sugar slowly so you can control thickness, and only thin with milk a teaspoon at a time. Dip only fully cooled donuts so the glaze sets nicely and doesn’t slide off.
4) Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag to fill the pan for neat, even rings and stop filling before they mound over. Let donuts cool completely before glazing, store them in an airtight container at room temp for a day or two, and if they get a bit stale warm one for 8-10 seconds in the microwave to revive it.
Strawberry Cake Donuts Recipe
I stumbled on a surprisingly simple Strawberry Donuts method using fresh berries and a donut mold pan that pares the usual fuss down to the essentials.
8
servings
338
kcal
Equipment: 1. Donut pan (nonstick or well greased)
2. Mixing bowls, one large for dry and one medium for wet
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Whisk, and a rubber spatula
5. Piping bag or zip top bag with corner snipped off
6. Small bowl or food processor for mashing/straining strawberries
7. Wire cooling rack (plus a baking sheet to catch drips)
8. Sifter or fine mesh sieve and a toothpick for doneness checks
Ingredients
-
1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour
-
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
-
2 teaspoons baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
-
1 large egg, room temp
-
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temp
-
1/4 cup (60 ml) melted unsalted butter, cooled
-
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-
1 cup (about 150 g) fresh strawberries, mashed or finely chopped
-
1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
-
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh strawberry puree or strained mashed strawberries
-
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze)
-
pinch of salt (for glaze)
-
1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream, if needed to thin glaze, optional
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a donut pan well or use nonstick spray, this helps the donuts come out cleanly.
- In a large bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt until evenly mixed.
- In another bowl whisk 1 large room temperature egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup cooled melted unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- Mash or finely chop about 1 cup fresh strawberries and fold them into the wet mixture. If you want a smooth pink glaze later, reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mashed strawberries and strain out the seeds for the glaze.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold with a spatula until just combined, a few small lumps are fine, do not overmix or the donuts will get dense.
- Spoon the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off and pipe into the prepared donut pan cavities filling each about three quarters full. Smooth tops with a spoon if needed.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the donuts cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze by whisking 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh strawberry puree or strained mashed strawberries, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for the glaze and a pinch of salt. If the glaze is too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream a little at a time until it reaches a dip-able consistency.
- Dip fully cooled donuts into the glaze, let excess drip off and return to the wire rack so the glaze can set. Garnish with extra chopped strawberries or sprinkles if you want, and serve.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 120g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 338kcal
- Fat: 8.1g
- Saturated Fat: 4.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.4g
- Monounsaturated: 2.1g
- Cholesterol: 38mg
- Sodium: 365mg
- Potassium: 98mg
- Carbohydrates: 64.7g
- Fiber: 1.4g
- Sugar: 43.8g
- Protein: 4.1g
- Vitamin A: 225IU
- Vitamin C: 11mg
- Calcium: 27mg
- Iron: 0.54mg
