Donut Cake – Pink Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch ring (bundt or donut-style) cake pan well with melted butter, then lightly flour the pan and tap out excess. If you have a donut cake pan (large ring or individual donuts), prepare accordingly.

Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt until evenly combined.

Combine wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, whole milk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogenous. Ensure melted butter is not hot to avoid cooking the eggs.

Mix batter: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom; a few small streaks of flour are okay. Overmixing will make the cake dense.

Fill pan and bake: Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch ring pan, smoothing the top. Bake in the preheated oven 28–34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the thick part comes out with a few moist crumbs and the top springs back lightly. For smaller donut molds, bake 10–14 minutes, checking early.

Cool: Remove cake from oven and let sit in the pan 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, invert onto a wire rack, and cool completely (at least 1 hour) before glazing so the glaze sets properly.

Prepare glaze base: In a medium bowl, whisk the sifted confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk and the vanilla extract until a thick, pourable glaze forms. Add the extra tablespoon of milk if the glaze is too thick — you want a consistency that coats the back of a spoon.

Add color and shine: Stir in 2–3 drops of red food coloring until you reach a pleasant pink shade. Add the light corn syrup (optional) and whisk until smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust vanilla or color as desired.

Adjust consistency: If glaze is too thin, add a little more sifted confectioners' sugar (1 tbsp at a time). If too thick, thin with 1/4 tsp increments of milk until it flows easily but remains opaque.

Glaze the cake: Place the completely cooled donut cake on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch drips. Pour the pink glaze over the top, letting it run down the sides evenly. Use a spatula to encourage coverage if necessary.

Add sprinkles: Immediately sprinkle the sprinkles over the wet glaze so they adhere. For a vintage look, apply sparingly; for a party look, cover liberally.

Set and serve: Let the glaze set at room temperature for 20–30 minutes. If glazing individual donuts, allow 10–15 minutes. Optionally dust edges lightly with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar for contrast. Slice and serve at room temperature. Store airtight for up to 2 days (glaze may soften).