Old-Fashioned Doughnuts - Bake from Scratch (2024)

Old-Fashioned Doughnuts - Bake from Scratch (1)

What It Is

Old-Fashioned Doughnuts are basically cake doughnuts that have been fried. This gives them a slightly crunchy outer shell, that’s usually lacquered with glaze or dusted with sugar. The inside tends to be less dense than the cake of your typical powdered doughnut and less airy than a Krispy Kreme-style glazed. The slightly irregular ring is often marked with indentations that create petal-like wedges.

Why We Love It

Fried. Cake. This classic doughnut style is making a comeback thanks to the glorious combo of its sugary crunch, doughy bite, and throwback dose of nostalgia. The fact that super smart pastry mavens are offering brilliant new flavors is just the glaze on top.

Where to Find It

We Have Doughnuts:Birmingham, AL

French-inspired bakery in Atlanta’s Grant Park neighborhood, where the flaky kouign amann, burnished with sugar, pairs perfectly with a pour-over coffee from Octane, a local roaster that shares space with the Little Tart.

Stan’s Donuts & Coffee:Chicago, IL

Started in 1963 in Los Angeles, Stan’s has gained local cult status since opening in The Second City. They keep about a half dozen old fashioned varieties on the menu, but we’re just crazy about the Chocolate Orange.

Frost:Seattle,WA

This Seattle shop, which describes their doughnuts as “evolved,” fries up 18 different flavors daily, including the tart and herbaceous lavender Old Fashioned tinged with lemon and the vanilla Old Fashioned dipped in white truffle chocolate with raspberry.

Old-Fashioned Doughnuts - Bake from Scratch (2024)

FAQs

What makes old fashioned donuts different? ›

Old-Fashioned Doughnuts are basically cake doughnuts that have been fried. This gives them a slightly crunchy outer shell, that's usually lacquered with glaze or dusted with sugar. The inside tends to be less dense than the cake of your typical powdered doughnut and less airy than a Krispy Kreme-style glazed.

Do baked donuts taste the same as fried? ›

The texture is more compact and there isn't the distinctive taste of deep frying. The color is also much paler. The taste overall was good and if you aren't into the calories of deep frying and the extra step and clean up, these are an acceptable substitute.

How do you get the old fashioned donut shape? ›

Old-fashioned cake doughnuts were called sometimes called "fry cakes" back then: Doughnuts are made of pieces of raised dough, cut into circular pieces and set to rise. After rising they are dropped into a kettle of hot fat, where they puff up into balls and become brown on the surface.

What is the flavor of an old fashioned donut? ›

Slightly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, these old fashioned donuts are perfect for breakfast or dessert. They have a crackly, craggy exterior that holds onto the tasty glaze, making them hard to resist. They're also sweet but not too sweet, and the sour cream and nutmeg add a wonderful flavor to them.

What is the best flour for donuts? ›

Use real cake flour – not DIY cake flour!

DIY substitutions don't really cut it, and AP flour will not create doughnuts with that same soft texture. Also, bleached cake flour will work best. Unbleached (like King Arthur Baking) won't absorb as much moisture, and you may end up with doughnuts that crumble while frying.

Is donut batter the same as cake batter? ›

Although ingredients are basically the same for all donuts, they are characterized by their leavening agent. Cake donuts are made from a kind of cake batter which is chemically leavened with baking powder or baking soda. Yeast donuts are made from dough leavened with yeast.

Are Krispy Kreme donuts deep fried or baked? ›

Like most doughnuts, Krispy Kremes are fried (cooked in oil). Frying cooks the dough rapidly from the outside in to give the doughnuts their distinctive crispy texture.

Do Dunkin donuts bake or fry their donuts? ›

Some Dunkin' locations bake their donuts in house, but not all. There are three ways Dunkin' locations can acquire donuts, according to TikTok user and franchise owner Amir Mohamed.

Can I bake doughnuts instead of frying? ›

With these no fry doughnuts, there's no messing about with hot oil or time spent standing over a hot pan. Oven baked doughnuts have a fairly different texture to the traditional deep fried versions. You'll find that they're much more cake-like and less chewy, hence often being referred to as cake doughnuts!

Are old fashioned donuts healthier? ›

Paul Lawton" as stating, "Yes, definitely, we conclude that a classic donut is, in fact, better for you" while "determining that the non-filled one had 5 percent fewer calories and maybe even more nutrients due to the light dusting of cinnamon on top." Of course, the hole in the middle of an old-fashioned surely means ...

What is the difference between an old fashioned donut and a cruller? ›

For example, the Old Fashioned Cake Donut has a mild vanilla flavor with a slight nutmeg finish. These donuts take about 12-15 minutes to create from start to finish. A French Cruller* has a soft, airy texture with a pleasant light “egg-like” flavor. The center of the French Cruller is wet with a crunchy exterior.

What is the difference between sour cream donuts and old fashioned donuts? ›

Sour cream doughnuts – also known as old-fashioned doughnuts- are known for being the least dainty of the doughnut family. They're bulky doughnuts that are firm on the outside but oh-so-moist on the inside.

Can you bake donuts without a donut pan? ›

Have you ever wanted to make baked doughnuts at home but couldn't because you didn't have a doughnut pan? Here's what to do! You don't need to add another pan to your collection in order to make baked doughnuts. Instead, grab a muffin tin and some aluminum foil to create a makeshift doughnut pan.

What is the most popular donut flavor in the United States? ›

According to Google users, glazed donuts reign supreme as the most popular donut.

What is the difference between the two types of doughnuts? ›

While yeast is the leavening agent in yeast doughnuts, cake doughnuts rely on baking powder. Cake doughnuts are typically made with a mixture of butter, sugar, eggs, flour and baking powder.

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