The ultimate for coconut fans. These coconut cake doughnuts are topped with coconut milk glaze and a generous sprinkling of dried shredded coconut.
Are you on team cake doughnut or yeast raised doughnut?
Or are you like me, and you love all doughnuts (or donuts) equally?!
Cake Donuts with Coconut Glaze
When time is an issue, cake doughnuts reign supreme.
These coconut cake doughnuts are leavened with baking powder. No yeast means you can fry these babies as soon as the dough is formed!
These cake doughnuts are adapted from these buttermilk doughnuts I shared last year.
I swapped in coconut milk in place of buttermilk.
The resulting fried doughnuts are super flavorful. They’re a little crisp on the outside, yet crumbly and soft on the inside.
No Proofing or Dough Resting Needed
The original buttermilk doughnuts recipe yields about a dozen doughnuts.
This recipe makes about half of that. I wanted thicker, more substantial coconut cake doughnuts. Instead of rolling the dough to 1/2-inch, I went thicker closer to one inch.
The mixed dough will be a bit tacky and sticky. Work on a generously floured surface and make sure to dip your cutter into flour often to prevent any sticking.
I used a 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter like the one shown above.
You can also use a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter paired with a 1-inch round cookie cutter for the center (doughnut holes).
Sweet Coconut Glaze
The freshly fried doughnuts get a generous bath in a sweet coconut milk glaze.
The glaze is simply made from powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), coconut milk, and a pinch of salt. Increase or decrease the amount of coconut milk used depending on your desired glaze consistency.
Immediately after glazing, sprinkle shredded coconut on top.
At this point, you can eat the doughnuts right away. Otherwise, place the assembled doughnuts on a wire rack to allow the glaze to set.
While most doughnuts are best enjoyed within hours of frying, these coconut cake doughnuts actually taste better the following day!
Store any leftover doughnuts in a breathable box (like a cardboard bakery box or container with the lid slightly ajar). The glaze needs air circulation, otherwise it will be melt.
Coconut Cake Doughnuts with Coconut Milk Glaze
Ingredients
Coconut Cake Doughnuts:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, (455 g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, (150 g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup canned coconut milk*
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, (42 g), melted
- vegetable shortening , or vegetable oil, for frying*
Coconut Milk Glaze:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, (227 g)
- 4 Tablespoons canned coconut milk
- pinch fine sea salt
- unsweetened dried shredded coconut, , as needed to top
Instructions
- Attach candy thermometer to a large heavy bottomed pot (cast-iron or Dutch oven, preferred). Fill pot about 3-inches deep with shortening or oil. Set over low-medium heat to 375 degrees. Prepare dough while oil heats.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 1 cup of flour with sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Add coconut milk, whisked eggs, and melted butter. Mix on low speed until smooth. Add remaining flour and continue to mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Dough will be rather sticky. Lightly flour the top of dough and pat or roll dough to a thickness of 3/4-inch. Using a floured 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter (or round cookie cutters), stamp out doughnuts. Transfer doughnuts and doughnut holes to baking sheet. Gather scrape dough, knead together, and re-roll to stamp out more doughnuts.
- Brush off any excess flour from the cut doughnuts. Carefully place about 3-4 doughnuts at a time into hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot. Cook for 1 minute on each side, until golden in color. Cook doughnut holes for about 45 seconds on each side.
- Drain cooked doughnuts on wire rack or paper towel lined baking sheet. Keep an eye on candy thermometer and adjust head accordingly to maintain a constant cooking temperature.
Coconut Milk Glaze:
- Mix together confectioners’ sugar, coconut milk, and salt until mixture is smooth. Add additional coconut milk one teaspoon as a time if glaze is too thick to your liking.
- Dip warm doughnuts into glaze, allowing excess glaze to drip. Immediately sprinkle shredded coconut over glaze. Set on a wire rack for glaze to set. Enjoy while doughnuts are warm, or enjoy at room temperature.
Notes
- Use well shaken, full-fat canned coconut milk. Light coconut milk will yield different results.
- Frying in shortening with result with a crispier doughnut. Cooked doughnut will also feel less greasy than oil fried doughnuts.
- Use a candy thermometer to maintain proper cooking temperature.
- Use this 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter, or a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter paired with a 1-inch round cookie cutter.
- These doughnuts actually taste better the following day. Store any leftover doughnuts in a breathable box (like cardboard bakery box or container with lid slightly jar) to prevent glaze from melting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Great coconut flavor! Do you have recommended brand of coconut milk to use?
My two favorite coconut milk brands are Aroy-D and Chaokoh.
I’m making this Friday.thanks so much!