Entenmann's Chocolate Cake Donuts

By
Caroline Russock
Caroline Russock is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Caroline Russock
Caroline Russock is a writer who splits her time between Philadelphia and the Caribbean covering food, travel, leisure, lifestyle, and culture.  Her writing is featured in PhillyVoice, Eater, Eater Philly, Serious Eats, and The Tasting Table. 
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Updated May 07, 2020
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Photograph: Parragon Inc.

Entenmann's excels at cake donuts. Frosted, glazed, crumb topped, or coated with loads of confectioners' sugar, all of the varieties are pretty tasty. So this recipe for Entenmann's Chocolate Cake Donuts obviously came with some pretty high expectations.

Beginning with a chocolate batter, the donuts are rolled out, punched out and deep fried until puffy and crisp. Like any great cake donut these have a wonderfully tender crumb and a lightness that makes you want to go for more than just one. Although the donuts are finished with a drizzles of white and dark chocolate, they aren't overly sweet, and in fact might just benefit from a bit more sugar. We're thinking next time we'll swap out the chocolate drizzles for a sugary glaze.

Reprinted with permission from Entenmann's Big Book of Baking by Kathleen Robbins. Copyright © 2011. Published by Parragon Books. Available wherever books are sold. All rights reserved.

Recipe Details

Entenmann's Chocolate Cake Donuts

Active 45 mins
Total 60 mins
Makes 10 to 14 donuts
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • Batter:
  • 1/2 cup whole milk (warmed)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • Vegetable oil for greasing baking sheet and frying
  •  Glaze:
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate pieces
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate pieces

Directions

  1. In a bowl, blend together the warmed milk, egg and vanilla extract.

  2. In a mixer set up with a paddle attachment, mix the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the butter and blend. Slowly add the milk, egg and vanilla. Mix until the batter is smooth and thick and resembles cookie dough. Leave the dough to rest in the mixer for 20 minutes.

  3. Roll the dough onto a floured surface. The dough should be 1⁄2-inch thick. Using a donut cutter to cut out the donuts.

  4. Heat at least 3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed pan. The oil should be 360°F.

  5. Carefully place the donuts one at a time into the oil. Fry for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack.

  6. To make the glaze, melt each of the chocolates separately over a pan of water. Coat the donuts making a pattern.

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