I came across these Old Fashioned Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnuts in one of my FAVORITE cookbooks, the Top Pot Doughnuts cookbook. And they were amazing. Share-worthy. Repeatable. Family tradition-esque.
I’m not going to lie, this is trickier than your average recipe–the ingredients and instructions are not really suggestions here. Don’t come back and say, “So I followed the recipe exactly, but these totally flopped! I did use bread flour instead of cake flour, and I used butter instead of shortening and I don’t believe in candy thermometers, so I just kind of winged it on the oil temperature!” If so, I’m not giving you any of my extra doughnuts.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Doughnuts
- Cake flour – Don’t skip this ingredient! If you don’t have cake flour, it’s easy to make at home. For every cup of all-purpose flour, remove two tablespoons of flour and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. For best results, sift the mixture a few times to be sure everything is distributed evenly.
- Baking powder – Make sure it’s fresh, as this is the only leavening agent in this recipe.
- Table salt
- Ground nutmeg – Straight from the spice jar is great, but feel free to grate your own as well!
- Pumpkin pie spice – If you don’t have any pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own by mixing together 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, 3/4 teaspoons ground cloves. Combine and store in an airtight container and use as needed.
- Granulated sugar
- Shortening or lard – Results are not guaranteed if you stray from the recommended fats!
- Egg yolks
- Sour cream – Full fat is best. Avoid fat-free.
- Canned pumpkin – Pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Peanut oil – Or any oil with a high smoke point. Canola oil also has a high smoke point, but it tends to take on a fishy odor/flavor at higher temperatures. Refined coconut oil works well, but is definitely more costly.
Glaze
- Powdered sugar
- Light corn syrup
- Table salt
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Canned pumpkin – Again, pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling!
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk
How to Make Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnuts
Step 1: Make the Dough
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the sugar and shortening then add the egg yolks and mix. The mixture will be light yellow and thick.
- Have your flour mixture, sour cream, and pumpkin ready. Add roughly 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the sour cream and mix until combined. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the pumpkin, mix until combined, then add the final 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. The dough should be wet and sticky like cookie dough.
- Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, but up to 24 hours.
Step 2: Make the Glaze
- Before frying the doughnuts, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, corn syrup, salt, pumpkin pie spice, canned pumpkin and vanilla.
- Slowly add some hot milk, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
Step 3: Fry
- Heat at least two inches of oil to 325°F.
- While that’s heating, sprinkle some flour onto a work surface. Roll the dough out to about 3/4″ thickness and then flip it over and roll it down to 1/2″. Dip a biscuit cutter into some flour and then cut the doughnuts, dipping the cutter into flour between each cut.
- Re-roll the dough gently as needed until it’s all used up. Use a small cookie cutter to cut a hole in the center of each doughnut.
- When the oil is up to temperature, brush any excess flour off your dough pieces and fry a few at a time, being sure to not overcrowd the pot. Watch for the doughnuts to float to the surface, wait few seconds, then flip. Transfer to a paper towel lined tray or plate and repeat until you’ve used up all your dough.
Step 4: Glaze
- While the doughnuts are still warm, dip the side with the deepest cracks deeply into the pumpkin glaze. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cooled doughnuts in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within 1-2 days for best results.
- A note on additional flour: I found that while I was rolling the doughnuts, I probably incorporated about an additional 1/2 cup of flour into the dough because it’s very sticky. However, this will vary depending on your climate, elevation, humidity, etc. The dough should be soft and silky, but workable. It should pull back very slightly when you push it and it shouldn’t stick to your hands and fingers at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Refrigerate the dough, covered, for up to 24 hours before frying.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
This recipe is designed for frying. Frying gives the doughnuts their crispy edges and deep cracks that hold the glaze. They would not turn out the same if baked.
Can I make these and glaze later?
It’s best to glaze the doughnuts quickly after frying so the glaze can soak in before setting up. If you have to glaze later, consider warming the doughnuts briefly in the oven first.
Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnuts
These spiced, melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin doughnuts are dipped in a warm pumpkin spice glaze for the perfect autumn treat!
Servings doughnuts
Ingredients
Doughnuts
- 3 + cups cake flour plus more for rolling and cutting
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons shortening or lard
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- Peanut or other oil with a high smoke point canola also has a high smoke point, but I prefer peanut for frying because canola tends to take on a fishy odor/flavor at very high temperatures
Glaze
- 1 pound 4½cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup canned pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup hot whole milk
Instructions
Make the Dough
- For the doughnuts, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the sugar and shortening for 1 minute on medium speed. Add the egg yolks and mix for 1 minute; the mixture will be light yellow and thick.
- Have your flour mixture, sour cream, and pumpkin ready. Add roughly 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the sour cream and mix until combined. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the pumpkin, mix until combined, then add the final 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. The dough should be wet and sticky like cookie dough.
- Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, but up to 24 hours.
Make the Glaze
- Before frying the doughnuts, make the glaze. Whisk together all the ingredients except for the milk (powdered sugar, light corn syrup, salt, pumpkin pie spice, canned, pumpkin, and vanilla). Slowly add the hot milk, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Set aside. This step can also be done in the bowl of a stand mixer, but I found it just as easy to do it by hand.
Fry the Doughnuts
- Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a heavy duty pot or Dutch oven to 325℉ (use a candy thermometer).
- While the oil is heating, sprinkle some additional flour onto a work surface. See important notes below for details.
- Place the dough on the floured work surface and flour your hands and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out to about 3/4″ thickness and then flip it over and roll it down to 1/2″. Dip a 2 1/2″ biscuit or doughnut cutter into some flour and then cut the doughnuts. Re-roll and cut the scraps until either the dough becomes too springy or you run out of dough.
- When the oil reaches 325℉, shake off excess flour from the cut dough pieces and carefully add them to the pot, a few at a time (depending on the size of your pot–just don't crowd the pot and you'll be fine). Once the doughnuts float to the surface, fry for about 15 seconds and then flip them. Fry for 75-90 seconds or until they're golden brown and cracked, then flip back to the first side and fry for another 60-75 seconds or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray or plate and repeat with the remaining dough.
Glaze
- While the doughnuts are still hot, dip the side with the deepest cracks deeply into the pumpkin glaze. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. Makes 12-15 doughnuts.
Notes
- Store finished doughnuts in an airtight container at room temperate and enjoy within 1-2 days for best results.
- Important notes: Don’t be scared of the flour – your work surface when should be very well-floured. I found that while I was rolling the doughnuts, I probably incorporated about an additional 1/2 cup of flour into the dough because it’s very sticky. However, this will vary depending on your climate, elevation, humidity, etc., so I’m hesitant to give an exact amount of how much additional flour to use. That said, the dough should be soft and silky, but workable. It should pull back very slightly when you push it and it shouldn’t stick to your hands and fingers at all. Dip the cutter into flour each time you cut a doughnut and be sure the work surface is well-floured. If you find the dough is sticking to your work surface or your cutters, it’s okay–just incorporate some of the flour into the dough and roll or pat it out again (once you get it to where it should be, the dough will be very easy to work with).
Nutrition
Serving: 1doughnut, Calories: 373kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Sodium: 278mg, Potassium: 81mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 41g, Vitamin A: 2157IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 373kcal
Cost: $8
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Questions & Reviews
Wow those look great! Thanks for all the detailed instructions on the recipe.
Oh, I can’t wait to try these!!!
So you say stick to the ingredients, but does that preclude me from using a cake flour substitute (flour with cornstarch)? These look so yummy, I want to make them right now, but I just bought doughnuts this morning for my daughter to take to school for her birthday and bought extras for the family. 🙁
The thing with real-deal cake flour is that it’s much finer and has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, which is what’s going to give you that awesome cake doughnut texture, you know? So you can try it, but I can’t guarantee their awesomeness. 🙂
So do we use the cake flour for the rolling out as well?
You can go either way there–I don’t think it matters too much, so if you want to use all-purpose, you should be fine. 🙂
My, my, my! They look perfect. Now I’m craving donuts!
Thank you, Melanie! 🙂
These look so good. Do you think this recipe would work in a donut maker if you decreased the amount of flour so the batter is looser? I would try it either way.
I’ve never used a doughnut maker, so I can’t say! Sorry! 🙁
Palm shortening is trans fat free AND vegetarian! I use it because I don’t really like the taste of lard in baked goods. It is labeled Non-hydrogenated shortening, and is sold in Whole Foods type stores. 🙂
Good to know! Thanks!
These look delicious! Is there a way to check and make sure your baking powder is still good, or should I just buy a new container if it’s been sitting around for a while?
One easy trick is to add a spoonful to a cup of water. If it bubbles, then it’s still good. 🙂
I will definately have to try these. But we also love your apple cider doughnuts. I make them every Christmas morning. So I’m interested in the rework. But I have never had a problem with the recipe 🙂
Oh yummy! Now I have to try these…you have totally appealed to my sentimental side. My mom used to cut out the middle of doughnuts with a heart shape! I think it is high time I invest in the heart shape and carry on the tradition. Thanks for the memories and the recipe!