Dairy-Free Baked Cake Doughnuts

Written by
Ashley Adams
Ashley Adams is a restaurant professional and workshop instructor with a specialty in dairy-free cooking and baking.
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Ashley Adams
Updated 11/03/20
Stack of dairy-free cake doughnuts
Aniko Hobel / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 12 servings

These baked cake doughnuts are so much fun to make and, best of all, they're dairy-free.

While you can top them with just a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar, they look so much more appealing if they are dressed up with vanilla frosting and whatever color sprinkles or edible decorations you like.

This is a terrific project to do with kids because no hot frying oil is involved and they're just plain fun to make and eat.

Ingredients

  • For the Frosting:
  • 1/2 cup soy margarine (or any dairy-free butter substitute)
  • 1 pound confectioners' sugar (sifted, divided)
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk (vanilla-flavored or any dairy-free milk substitute)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For the Doughnuts:
  • 2 cups flour (all-purpose)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
  • 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar (white)
  • 2 tablespoons soy margarine (softened)
  • 2 large eggs (beaten)
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk (full-fat)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Garnish: sprinkles or other edible cake decorations

Steps to Make It

Make the Frosting

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a medium-sized mixing bowl if using a hand mixer), beat dairy-free soy margarine until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.

  3. Turn the mixer speed down to low, and gradually add half of the confectioners' sugar.

  4. Add vanilla coconut milk and vanilla extract, followed by the rest of the confectioners' sugar.

  5. Once most of the confectioners' sugar is mixed in, turn the mixer speed up to medium and then high speed, beating until the mixture is smooth and creamy for about 2 to 4 minutes more.

  6. Let it sit at room temperature until ready to use.

Make the Doughnuts

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly oil a 12-doughnut doughnut pan or 12-cup mini tube pan.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

  3. In a separate medium mixing bowl, beat together the white sugar with softened soy margarine until combined.

  4. Add the eggs and beat until just combined, followed by coconut milk and vanilla extract.

  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until combined.

  6. Fill each doughnut cup about 3/4 full.

  7. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the doughnuts are lightly golden.

  8. Allow the doughnuts to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Decorate

  1. While the doughnuts are cooling for 10 minutes, warm the frosting in a microwave in 10- to 20-second bursts until it is runny. 

  2. Dip each doughnut in the warm icing.

  3. Followed by the sprinkles of your choice. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Tip

  • Eat them plain, sprinkle with confectioners sugar or frost them with vanilla or chocolate frosting and put some colorful sprinkles on them.