The Coziest Homemade Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts Recipe Ever

Autumn whispers sweet promises of cozy moments and delectable treats, with these irresistible pumpkin cake doughnuts ready to steal your heart.

Soft, warmly spiced, and bursting with seasonal charm, these little delights capture everything magical about fall baking.

The tender crumb melts in your mouth, releasing a symphony of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pure pumpkin goodness.

Each doughnut promises a rich, velvety texture that dances between cake-like softness and a subtle crisp exterior.

Dusted with a delicate layer of cinnamon sugar, they’re the perfect companion to your morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Baking these doughnuts transforms your kitchen into a fragrant autumn sanctuary, filling every corner with nostalgic warmth.

You’ll want to savor every single bite of these golden, spice-laden treasures.

How to Store Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts

• Refrigerate Wisely: Store these doughnuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to maintain their soft texture and delicious flavor.
• Freeze for Future Enjoyment: Wrap individual doughnuts in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag. They'll stay fresh for 2-3 weeks, perfect for quick breakfast or snack options.
• Room Temperature Tip: Keep doughnuts at room temperature for 1-2 days if you plan to eat them quickly. Place them on a plate loosely covered with a clean kitchen towel.
• Revive Stored Doughnuts: Warm refrigerated or frozen doughnuts for 10-15 seconds in the microwave to restore their original soft and tender texture. Sprinkle with fresh cinnamon-sugar for an extra touch of sweetness.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Calories: 180 kcal

Servings: 13

Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts Ingredient List

• Vegetable Oil: Keeps the doughnuts incredibly moist and tender, providing a silky texture. Choose a neutral-flavored oil for the best results.
• Eggs: Binds the ingredients together and adds richness to the doughnut's structure. Fresh, room-temperature eggs work best.
• Pumpkin Purée: Delivers deep autumn flavor and natural moisture. Select pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Sugar: Sweetens the doughnuts and helps create a beautiful golden-brown exterior. Granulated sugar provides the most consistent results.

• All-Purpose Flour: Creates the cake-like texture and provides structure to the doughnuts. Sift for a smoother batter.
• Baking Powder: Helps the doughnuts rise and become light and fluffy. Check freshness for optimal leavening.
• Salt: Enhances all the other flavors and balances the sweetness. Use fine-grain table salt for even distribution.

• Pumpkin Pie Spice: Infuses warm, comforting autumn flavors. Can substitute with a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Cinnamon-Sugar (for coating): Adds a sweet, crispy exterior that complements the soft doughnut interior. Mix freshly ground cinnamon for maximum flavor.

Doughnut-Making Tool for Pumpkin Cakes

• Doughnut Pans or Muffin Tins: Essential for shaping and baking the doughnuts.
• Large Mixing Bowl: Needed to combine all wet ingredients smoothly.
• Whisk or Electric Mixer: Perfect for beating ingredients until well blended.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Crucial for accurate ingredient quantities.
• Cooling Rack: Helps doughnuts cool evenly and maintain their shape.
• Spatula: Great for stirring batter and scraping sides of the bowl.
• Cake Tester or Toothpick: Helps check if doughnuts are fully baked.
• Plastic Bag: Used for coating warm doughnuts in cinnamon-sugar.

How to Bake Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts with Ease

• Oven Preparation

Warm up the oven to a cozy 350°F and give your baking pans a light spray of oil. Choose either special doughnut molds or classic muffin tins.

• Batter Mixing

Grab a big mixing bowl and blend all the wet ingredients into a silky smooth mixture. Pumpkin goodness meets creamy texture as you combine everything.

• Flour Addition

Softly fold in the flour, stirring gently until the batter looks perfectly blended with no lumpy surprises.

• Pan Filling

Carefully spoon the golden batter into your prepared pans, filling each well about three-quarters full for perfect doughnut shapes.

• Baking Magic

Slide the pans into the warm oven and bake until a testing skewer comes out completely clean. Doughnuts need around 15-18 minutes, while muffin-style treats take slightly longer.

• Cooling and Coating

Let the doughnuts rest in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. While still warm, give them a delightful tumble in a bag of sweet cinnamon sugar for an irresistible finish.

Tips to Get Your Pumpkin Doughnuts Just Right

• Use room temperature eggs and pumpkin purée for smoother batter mixing and even cake doughnut texture.
• Experiment with powdered sugar, maple glaze, or cream cheese frosting instead of traditional cinnamon-sugar for unique flavor profiles.
• Silicone doughnut molds work perfectly if standard metal pans aren't available, ensuring consistent baking results every time.
• Prepare batter up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate, allowing flavors to develop and simplifying morning baking preparations.
• Keep leftover doughnuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for extended enjoyment within 1 month.

Serving These Doughnuts the Fun Way

• Dust with Delightful Sweetness: Coat the warm doughnuts generously in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar for an extra layer of comforting, autumnal flavor that melts in your mouth.
• Pair with Warm Beverages: Serve alongside a steaming mug of hot apple cider, chai latte, or pumpkin spice coffee to complement the doughnuts' rich, spicy profile.
• Create a Dessert Platter: Arrange the doughnuts on a rustic wooden board with some whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and chopped pecans for an impressive and Instagram-worthy presentation.
• Enjoy Fresh and Warm: Devour these doughnuts right after coating with sugar to experience the perfect combination of soft, tender texture and sweet, crisp coating.

Fluffy Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts Recipe

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4.8 from 17 reviews

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 13 1x

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Description

Rustic seasonal pumpkin cake doughnuts provide a delightful autumn treat perfect for weekend baking. Warm spices and rich pumpkin flavor combine in these simple, comforting pastries you’ll savor with morning coffee or afternoon tea.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 ½ cups / 340g pumpkin purée
• 3 large eggs
• 1 to 1 ½ cups / 198g to 298g granulated sugar
• ½ cup / 99g vegetable oil
• 1 ¾ cups + 2 tbsps / 227g all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsps salt
• 1 ½ tsps baking powder
• 1 ½ tsps pumpkin pie spice (or ¾ tsp cinnamon plus heaping ¼ tsp each nutmeg and ginger)

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease doughnut pans or muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray, ensuring complete coverage.
2. Mixing Base: Whisk together vegetable oil, whole eggs, granulated sugar, pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl until the mixture achieves a silky, uniform texture.
3. Batter Formation: Gently fold all-purpose flour into the wet ingredients, stirring delicately to create a smooth batter without overworking the mixture.
4. Pan Filling: Transfer the batter into prepared pans, filling each cavity about 3/4 full to allow room for rising during baking.
5. Baking Process: Slide the pans into the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes for doughnuts (or 23-25 minutes for muffins), verifying doneness by inserting a cake tester that comes out clean.
6. Cooling and Finishing: Let the baked doughnuts rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully release from the edges and transfer to a wire rack.
7. Final Touch: While still warm, coat the doughnuts in a cinnamon-sugar or pumpkin spice-sugar blend, ensuring an even, delectable outer layer before serving immediately.

Notes

• Prevent Overmixing: Stir flour gently to maintain a light, tender texture and avoid dense, tough doughnuts.
• Pan Versatility: No doughnut pan? Muffin tins work perfectly as an alternative baking option.
• Moisture Magic: Pumpkin purée ensures incredibly moist and soft doughnuts with rich autumn flavor.
• Coating Technique: Roll warm doughnuts in sugar mixture immediately after cooling for maximum flavor absorption and crisp exterior.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 13
• Calories: 180
• Sugar: 15g
• Sodium: 160mg
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 3g
• Cholesterol: 40mg