Please ration your portions, because the willpower it takes to not go overboard with these chocolate cake donuts won’t come easy.

These old fashioned chocolate cake donuts are light and perfectly cakey with an explosion of chocolate flavor. The glaze gives them just a little extra sweetness. Perfection.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake Donuts are my favorite donuts of all time.

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Of. All. Time.

I have an obsession with recreating my favorite chocolate desserts and making them the BEST: chocolate ice cream, hot chocolate, death by chocolate cupcakes, quadruple chocolate pudding cookies, and on and on.

So you know that once I got over my fear of frying with the sour cream cake donuts, I HAD to create the perfect old fashioned chocolate cake donut. Had to. These are better than Krispy Kreme’s chocolate cake donuts, and they are better than Dunkin Donuts.

They are light, yet cakey; chocolatey, yet perfectly sweet; they melt in your mouth like your favorite yeast donut, yet have substance like your favorite cake donut.

I know…That’s a lot to process. I’ll give you a minute.

The secret to the intense chocolate flavor, without the weight of adding liquid chocolate, is using the best Dutch processed cocoa powder you can lay your hands on (I use Droste), a little espresso powder, and a little extra salt.

Please don’t skimp on the salt and then complain about the dull chocolate flavor. Salt is the ultimate flavor enhancer. Too much, and it’s salty, but use the perfect amount, and it makes all the other flavors pop. It’s like real life fairy dust.

Droste cocoa powder is also darker than a lot of other Dutch processed cocoa powders, which gives my donuts that rich chocolate color AND flavor. It is worth the investment.

Trust me. I’ve got your Sunday morning breakfast handled.

I am going to include the same tips I gave you in my Sour Cream Cake Donuts because they still apply. Think of them like the golden rules of donuts. Mmmkay?

Step by Step Guide to Making Glazed Chocolate Cake Donuts

Prepare the Donut Dough:

• In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
• Whisk in the salt and set aside.
• Line a large mixing bowl with plastic wrap, then spray its surface. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat granulated sugar, butter, and yolks on high until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
• Mix in sour cream until smooth.
• Gradually add dry ingredients on low speed, mixing just until incorporated.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl. Spray its top and cover with plastic wrap.
• Chill for 60 minutes. The dough can be stored for up to a week.

Shape & Cut:

• Prepare a baking sheet with parchment and nonstick spray.
• Flour a work surface and place dough on it. Roll to ½-inch thick.
• Using 3-inch and 1 ¼-inch ring cutters, cut donuts and holes.
• Place them on the baking sheet and refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.

Prepare the Glaze:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, powdered sugar, salt, and honey.
• Adjust consistency over simmering water if needed.

Frying:

• Pour oil into a fryer or Dutch oven, ensuring it’s at least 2 inches deep.
• Heat to 350°F. Adjust to maintain this temperature.
• Fry 3 donuts at a time, flipping and frying until golden brown (approximately 80 seconds per side).
• Fry donut holes as indicated in the original recipe.
• Drain on a wire rack.

Glazing:

• Once slightly cooled, dip donuts in glaze.
• Return to wire rack and allow glaze to set.

Serve & Store:

• Enjoy the donuts fresh, ideally the day they’re made.
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container.