🥄 Introduction to Bblueberry Cake Donuts
Craving something sweet, fruity, and easy to bake at home? Look no further than blueberry cake donuts — a delicious cross between your favorite muffins and indulgent cake-style donuts. These oven-baked treats deliver a moist, dense texture with a burst of juicy blueberries in every bite, making them perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert.
Unlike yeast-raised donuts, blueberry cake donuts require no proofing or frying, making them faster, simpler, and less messy to prepare. Whether you use fresh blueberries in summer or frozen berries year-round, the result is always crowd-pleasing.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know — from ingredients and techniques to flavor variations, glazing options, and even storage tips. By the end, you’ll be ready to whip up bakery-worthy donuts right from your kitchen.
So preheat your oven and grab that donut pan — it’s time to get baking! 🍩
Want more blueberry goodness? Then don’t miss these lemon cupcakes with blueberry buttercream, a tart and creamy combo that beautifully complements the fruity flavor in today’s recipe.
🧁 Why Blueberry Cake Donuts Are So Popular
These donuts are the best of both breakfast and dessert:
- Baked, not fried: healthier and less messy
- Dense and cakey: like a muffin but shaped like a donut
- Bursting with blueberries: fresh or frozen both work great
- Customizable glaze: lemon, vanilla, or blueberry icing
🛒 Key Ingredients
Creating the perfect blueberry cake donuts starts with understanding the key ingredients that make them moist, flavorful, and bakery-quality.
🧁 Flour or Cake Mix
Many recipes use all-purpose flour, but for quick results, a vanilla cake mix works beautifully. It creates a consistent, tender crumb and cuts down on prep time.
🫐 Blueberries
The star of the show. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries. Wild blueberries are especially flavorful and smaller, which distributes the fruit more evenly throughout the batter. If using frozen, don’t thaw them—this prevents unwanted color bleeding.
🥛 Buttermilk
This adds a rich tang and tenderizes the crumb. It reacts with leavening agents like baking powder to create a light, airy structure. No buttermilk? Mix milk with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar.
🧈 Butter or Oil
Melted butter adds richness, while vegetable oil keeps the donuts soft. Either works well depending on your preference.
🍳 Egg
A single large egg binds the ingredients and adds structure.
🍬 Glaze Ingredients
Typically made with powdered sugar and milk, but adding blueberry juice or lemon zest elevates both the flavor and appearance.
These core ingredients blend into a simple yet unforgettable donut experience.
🛠 Equipment You’ll Need
Making blueberry cake donuts at home is simple, especially when you have the right tools. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 🧁 Donut baking pan – A non-stick, 6-cavity donut pan is ideal for evenly shaped donuts.
- 🥣 Mixing bowls – Use one for wet ingredients and another for dry.
- 🥄 Rubber spatula – Gentle on blueberries and great for folding the batter.
- 🍰 Piping bag or zip-top bag – Makes filling the pan easy and mess-free.
- 🔪 Cooling rack – Essential for glazing and preventing sogginess.
These basic tools ensure your donuts bake evenly and look picture-perfect every time.

👩🍳 How to Make Blueberry Cake Donuts (Step-by-Step)
Making blueberry cake donuts is surprisingly easy — even for beginners. With just a few simple steps, you’ll have warm, bakery-style donuts ready in under 30 minutes.
🥣 Step 1: Prepare the Batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour (or cake mix), baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries using a rubber spatula, taking care not to break them — especially if using frozen berries.
🍩 Step 2: Fill the Pan
Spoon or pipe the batter into a greased donut pan, filling each cavity about 2/3 full. This allows room for the donuts to rise without overflowing.
🔥 Step 3: Bake
Bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 12–14 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
❄️ Step 4: Cool and Glaze
Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, drizzle or dip each donut in your choice of glaze.
That’s it — simple, fast, and delicious!
For an alternative blueberry treat, try this fruit-forward salad: blueberry peach feta salad — it’s refreshing and great for brunch.
💡 Pro Baking Tips
To take your blueberry cake donuts from good to bakery-worthy, keep these expert tips in mind:
🍇 Handle Blueberries Carefully
- Fold gently to avoid crushing the berries, especially when using frozen blueberries. This keeps the batter from turning gray or purple.
- If using frozen, do not thaw — this reduces moisture bleed and keeps the batter clean.
🧁 Perfect Your Donut Shape
- Use a piping bag or ziplock bag with the corner snipped to fill the donut pan evenly and neatly. This avoids overfilling and ensures round, uniform donuts.
- Fill each cavity only 2/3 full to allow the batter space to rise without spilling over.
❄️ Cool Before Glazing
- Always let the donuts cool completely before adding glaze. If glazed while warm, the icing will melt and slide off.
🌬 Avoid Soggy Bottoms
- After 5 minutes of cooling in the pan, transfer donuts to a wire rack. This prevents steam from softening the bottoms.
🍋 Add Flavor Twists
- A bit of lemon zest in the batter adds brightness.
- Try a blueberry glaze made from fresh blueberry juice for added color and taste.
With these tips, your donuts will look stunning and taste even better.
Print
Blueberry Cake Donuts
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 donuts 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Soft, moist, and bursting with sweet blueberries, these baked blueberry cake donuts are a quick and easy treat perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Ingredients
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1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or vanilla cake mix)
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1 tsp baking powder
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½ tsp salt
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⅓ cup granulated sugar
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1 large egg
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⅓ cup buttermilk
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2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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¾ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
For the glaze:
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1 cup powdered sugar
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2–3 tbsp milk (or blueberry juice)
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Optional: ½ tsp lemon zest
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a donut pan.
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In a large bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla.
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In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
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Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined.
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Gently fold in blueberries.
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Pipe or spoon batter into donut pan, filling each cavity ⅔ full.
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Bake for 12–14 minutes until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
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Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
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Mix glaze ingredients and drizzle over cooled donuts.
Notes
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Do not thaw frozen blueberries to avoid batter discoloration.
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For extra flavor, add lemon zest to the batter or glaze.
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Store in an airtight container for 2–3 days or freeze unglazed donuts for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 280–300 kcal
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
🔥 The Rise of Baked Donuts
In recent years, baked donuts have taken the home baking world by storm. Once overshadowed by their deep-fried cousins, these oven-baked delights are now a go-to for health-conscious food lovers and busy home bakers alike. What makes them so appealing? It’s all about simplicity, flavor, and texture.
Unlike fried donuts, which require hot oil and careful monitoring, baked donuts are quick to prepare, lower in fat, and safer to make at home. Plus, they don’t sacrifice on taste. Their moist, cake-like interior delivers the satisfaction of a traditional donut without the grease.
As people continue to seek healthier homemade desserts, recipes like blueberry cake donuts have become incredibly popular. They combine convenience, versatility, and comfort — all in one pretty, round package. With endless flavor options and a texture that rivals even the best bakery donut, it’s no surprise baked donuts have become a modern classic. Discover How to substitute buttermilk in baking
🔄 Flavor Variations to Try
One of the best things about blueberry cake donuts is how versatile they are. Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, you can experiment with flavors, textures, and toppings to suit your taste or the season.
🍋 Lemon-Blueberry Donuts
Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest to the batter and swap out the glaze for a lemon glaze. The bright citrus pairs perfectly with sweet blueberries.
🍫 White Chocolate Chip Blueberry
Mix in ¼ cup of white chocolate chips for a creamier, richer flavor. These melt beautifully into the batter and complement the tartness of the berries.
🍩 Cinnamon Sugar Coating
Skip the glaze and, while the donuts are still slightly warm, brush them with melted butter and roll in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. This creates a classic, donut-shop-style finish.
🌱 Vegan Version
Replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp flaxseed + 3 tbsp water) and use plant-based milk and vegan butter. The result? Still moist, fluffy, and flavorful.
🌾 Gluten-Free Option
Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking mix in place of regular flour or cake mix. Just be sure to let the batter rest 10 minutes before baking for better texture.
You might also love this fluffy and protein-packed breakfast dish: sugar cookie protein baked oats, a great complement to your sweet morning spread.
❄️ Storage & Freezing
To keep your blueberry cake donuts as fresh and delicious as when they came out of the oven, proper storage is key.
🧊 At Room Temperature
- Store unglazed or glazed donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- If your kitchen is humid, consider storing them in a cool, dry place to prevent the glaze from melting.
🧯 Refrigeration
- You can refrigerate glazed donuts for up to 5 days, but bring them to room temperature before serving to restore their soft texture.
Freezing
- For longer storage, freeze unglazed donuts in a zip-top freezer bag with parchment between layers.
- They’ll last up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temp and apply fresh glaze.
Want to experiment with other make-ahead sweets? Try these coffee cake cookies — they’re just as freezer-friendly!
📊 Nutritional Snapshot (Per Donut)
- Calories: ~290
- Carbs: ~55g
- Fat: ~10g
- Sugar: ~35g
FAQs About Bblueberry Cake Donuts❓
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes, but do not thaw them—this prevents the batter from turning purple.
What’s the difference between cake and yeast donuts?
Cake donuts use baking powder and have a denser, more moist texture. Yeast donuts are lighter and fluffier.
Why are my donuts dry?
Likely overbaking or not enough fat. Try adding more butter or reducing bake time.
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
Milk + vinegar or lemon juice is a great DIY substitute.
🍽 Related Recipes from Skilled Cooks
Here are a few more delicious treats you may love, especially if you’re into fruity or sweet breakfasts: