Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts are soft, moist, and make the perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. These baked pumpkin donuts are topped with a delicious cinnamon-sugar mixture.
We love donuts around here and have several recipes for them (made from scratch and with donuts), but these Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts are amongst our favorites for fall. Other times of the year, we love making these CHOCOLATE COVERED DONUTS and this COPYCAT DUNKIN DONUTS CRULLERS RECIPE.
This easy pumpkin donut recipe is made without yeast and without frying! You can get that fresh donut taste without all the oil and effort! These homemade pumpkin cake donuts make a perfect weekend treat, they are so simple to make and will save you a trip to the local donut shop.
WHY WE THINK YOU WILL LOVE THIS AMAZING DONUT RECIPE
If you are not already gathering the few ingredients to make this treat, here are some reasons to convince you to do so.
- They’re lower in fat! Grease/oil = fat, and with most donut recipes, you would need several inches of oil in a pot. When you bake them in the oven, you don’t need all of that oil!
- They are made quickly. How long would it take to drive to the local donut shop for a fresh batch of donuts? Can you guarantee that they are still soft and warm? This recipe can produce a dozen donuts in less than 30 minutes.
- It’s a simple recipe. Most of the ingredients are ones that you have on hand and you only need a bowl and a spoon to mix them up.
INGREDIENTS IN PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE DONUTS
DONUT BATTER:
Flour – All purpose flour works best. A gluten-free flour can be swapped in if needed.
Brown sugar – This provides most of the sweetness in the donut recipe. For best results, make sure your brown sugar is fresh and soft.
Pumpkin pie spice – You will need 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Pumpkin pie spice is a delicious blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Easy to make your own if you don’t have any, but this spice is an absolute staple at my house in the fall – it seems like I use it in almost every recipe I make.
Baking powder and baking soda – These act as the leavening agents in the recipe, so make sure they aren’t old or expired for optimal results.
Salt – Just a little bit of salt helps to bring out all of the other delicious flavors in the donuts.
Pumpkin – You will need a cup of pumpkin. Make sure to use regular pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. I always use a canned option, but you can use a homemade pumpkin puree if you prefer.
Eggs – Two eggs will help bind everything together.
Maple syrup – Use real maple syrup to give the donuts a richer flavor.
Butter – For best results, use real butter and make sure it is melted before adding to the other ingredients.
Vanilla extract – The higher the quality of the vanilla, the better.
PUMPKIN SPICE DONUT TOPPING:
Butter – You will need 1/4 cup of melted butter to brush over the baked donuts so that the topping can stick.
Sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice – The perfect blend of sweetness and spice makes the perfect topping for the donuts.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE DONUTS
Preheat and Prepare
To make delicious pumpkin spice cake donuts, preheat the oven to 350° F and grease a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray. This will ensure that the donuts do not stick to the pan while baking.
Mix Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a large spoon. This will ensure that the dry ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Mix Wet Ingredients
In a different mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, eggs, maple syrup, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. This will ensure that the wet ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Combine and Pipe Batter
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients bowl and combine the two mixtures together until they form a thick batter. Place the donut batter in a gallon-sized plastic bag or piping bag. Snip a hole in the corner and pipe the donut batter into the prepared donut pan molds. This will ensure that the batter is evenly distributed throughout the donut molds.
Bake Donuts
Bake the donuts for 17-18 minutes in the preheated oven. This will ensure that the donuts are cooked all the way through and are golden brown on the outside.
Prepare and Apply Topping
While the donuts bake, make the pumpkin spice topping by mixing together the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Allow the donuts to cool on a cooling rack until they are able to be handled, about 5-10 minutes. Brush a thin coating of melted butter on each donut and dip the buttered side in the cinnamon-sugar topping. This will ensure that the donuts have a delicious, sweet and spicy topping that complements the pumpkin flavor. Serve warm and enjoy!
PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE DONUTS
Ingredients
DONUT BATTER:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
PUMPKIN SPICE DONUT TOPPING:
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl with a large spoon. Set aside.
- In a different mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, eggs, maple syrup, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients bowl. Combine the two mixtures together until they form a thick batter.
- Place the donut batter in a gallon-sized plastic bag or piping bag. Snip a hole in the corner and pipe the donut batter into the prepared donut pan molds.
- Bake the donuts for 17-18 minutes in the preheated oven.
- While the donuts bake, make the pumpkin spice topping. Mix together the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl.
- Allow the donuts to cool on a cooling rack until they are able to be handled, about 5-10 minutes. Brush a thin coating of melted butter on each donut and dip the buttered side in the cinnamon-sugar topping. Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition
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What is a substitute for all purpose flour in pumpkin spice cake donuts?
If you are looking for a gluten-free option, you can substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that is designed to be a 1:1 replacement for all-purpose flour. Other substitutes for all-purpose flour include almond flour, oat flour, and coconut flour, but keep in mind that these flours will result in a different texture and flavor for your donuts.
Are pumpkin spice cake donuts dairy free?
There is butter in the recipe, but if you swap it out with melted coconut oil, the recipe becomes dairy-free.
How long are cake donuts good for?
Donuts are definitely best when eaten warm immediately after preparing them. You can store any leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3-4 days. You can reheat them in the microwave or in a warm oven or even an air fryer!
More delicious pumpkin treat recipes to try:
- PUMPKIN SPICE BARS
- SOFT PUMPKIN GINGERSNAP COOKIES
- PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE BARS
- PUMPKIN PANCAKES WITH APPLE CIDER SYRUP
- PUMPKIN MARSHMALLOW BUNDT CAKE
- PUMPKIN PIE OREO BALLS
- PERFECT PUMPKIN WAFFLES
- PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE BREAD
- PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE WITH CARAMEL GLAZE
- PUMPKIN ROLL RECIPE
- SNICKERDOODLE PUMPKIN APPLE COBBLER
- CARAMEL PUMPKIN POKE CAKE
- PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLES
- EASY PUMPKIN FUDGE
- NO BAKE PUMPKIN PIE
- BEST PUMPKIN BREAD
Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts are soft, moist, and make the perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. These baked pumpkin donuts are topped with a delicious cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Brandy says
The second late August comes around I am right on the pumpkin bandwagon! These donuts were excellent and my whole family enjoyed them!
Jessica says
Right?! ME TOO!!
Taryn says
Moist & delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Jessica says
So glad you liked them Taryn!
Terry says
Uh…the recipe card lists the “Cook Time” as 2 hours 17 minutes. Oops!
Y’all have a great weekend! We’re having bizarre weather here. Yesterday our daytime high was 48°F, and 42° nighttime. Today…predicted high 70°F, with 45° nighttime temperature. Of course, that’s subject to change – just give it 10 minutes. This IS Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦 we’re taking about
Nellie says
Thanks for catching that! It should be fixed now!