Mmmm, donuts! Is there anything they can’t do? If Homer Simpson has taught us anything, it’s that donuts are life! And that there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing! Here at Oola, we couldn’t agree more!
Go big or go home with our DIY donut cake! Treat yourself to a wondrously, colorful re-creation of an iconic snack. Our homemade donut cake is conveniently prepared with cake mix and our famously delicious, American buttercream frosting. Rainbow sprinkled covered pink fondant drapes the vanilla donut giving the cake a sweet glazy showstopping appearance.
DIY Donut Cake
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Supplies
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease one bundt pan with butter, dust with flour, and set it aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cake mix, eggs, whole milk, and melted butter until well blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, rotating the pan as you pour to get an even distribution of batter throughout the bundt pan. Use a silicone spatula to smooth out the cake batter.
Bake for 30- 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan for at least 10 minutes. Carefully run a butter knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Then invert the bundt cake onto a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
When your cake is completely cool, use a serrated knife to make two halves. This will allow you to pipe buttercream frosting between two layers.
Using a spoon, or knife create a small trench in the bottom half of the cake for the buttercream. Carefully, scoop or cut away the cake, making way for piped buttercream. This will act as your “donut filling.”
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 drops deep pink AmeriColor Soft Gel Paste
Supplies
Directions
While the cake cools, prepare the buttercream frosting for the donut filling. Cream the butter on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed. Mix until the sugar and butter are combined.
Add the vanilla and the salt to the frosting mixture. Mix on medium-high speed until the frosting becomes smooth.
Add the milk to adjust the thickness of the frosting. If you desire a thinner consistency, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the frosting becomes too thin, simply add more powdered sugar.
Next, tint the buttercream deep pink. Place the deep pink buttercream into a disposable piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1A piping tip. Pipe the frosting directly into the trench in the bottom half of the cake.
When you’ve finished piping the frosting for the donut filling, replace the top half of the cake. Your cake should now resemble a donut.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 4 drops chocolate brown AmeriColor Soft Gel Paste
Supplies
Directions
Now that the cake is assembled, it’s time to coat the donut cake with brown vanilla buttercream. The coating will secure the two layers, as well as support the fondant topping.
Cream the butter on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed. Mix until the sugar and butter are combined.
Add the vanilla and the salt to the frosting mixture. Mix on medium-high speed until the frosting becomes smooth.
Add the milk to adjust the thickness of the frosting. If you desire a thinner consistency, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the frosting becomes too thin, simply add more powdered sugar.
Next, tint the buttercream chocolate brown. Using a long offset spatula, spread a coat of buttercream on the top of the cake as well as the sides until the donut cake is completely covered in brown vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients
- 24 ounces Wilton Decorator Preferred Pink Fondant
- powdered sugar, for rolling
- cold water, for brushing
- rainbow sprinkles
Supplies
Directions
Remove the fondant from the box and work with your hands to soften.
Prepare your work surface by lightly sprinkling the counter with powdered sugar. Using a rolling pin, flatten the fondant until it is 1/8 of an inch thick, and about the width and height of your donut cake.
Using a biscuit cutter or cup, find the center of the fondant and mark a hole for the center of the donut. Using a knife, make a wavy donut glaze pattern.
Carefully transfer the fondant to your donut cake. Using a pastry brush, lightly moisten the fondant in water, and then quickly sprinkle rainbow sprinkles on top of the donut cake. The water will help the sprinkles stick to the fondant.
Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Where Do I Purchase Disposable Piping Bags And Piping Tips?
You can purchase your disposable piping bags, and Wilton 1A piping tip online, or at your local Michaels, or Hobby Lobby.
Where Can I Purchase Fondant?
You can purchase fondant online or at your local Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
Can I Use Any Cake Mix?
Yes, you can! You may also use any flavor of buttercream frosting or color fondant you’d prefer.
What Coloring Did You Use For Your Buttercream?
We used AmeriColor Soft Gel paste in deep pink, and chocolate brown to tint our buttercream. You’re free to choose any colors you’d like for your diy donut cake.
