2-Ingredient Super Simple Homemade Baked Donuts

Craving donuts? You can whip some up at home with just 2 ingredients. They’re light, they’re fluffy, and the sky’s the limit on flavor combinations!

These easy donuts are made with a few kitchen shortcuts that make them perfect for the beginning baker (or the experienced baker who doesn’t want to spend a ton of time, effort, or money in the kitchen!). With only 3 steps, you can whip these up in under 30 minutes. Where I live, that’s faster than DoorDash!

Another thing to love about this easy recipe is the variety. You can use this same base recipe to make strawberry donuts, chocolate donuts, funfetti donuts, and so much more. Regular donuts just don’t stand a chance!

What’s in 2 ingredient donuts? 

As the title suggests, there are just 2 basic ingredients in this simple recipe. Both are shelf-stable, meaning you can keep these around for anytime that sweet tooth hits!

• Cake Mix: You can use any boxed cake mix for this recipe. Any flavor works as well! I used a red velvet cake mix for these donuts, and they were absolutely delicious.
• Club Soda: This is where the lightness in your donut dough comes from. The carbonation in the club soda makes these donuts bake up perfectly!

Making Homemade Donuts

Step 1 | Mix it up

In large mixing bowl combine your cake mix and club soda. Mix your ingredients until you get a smooth batter, like this: 

Step 2 | Fill the Pan

Pull out your donut pan (I love this one from Wilton). Grease and flour your pan. This step is super important! Donuts are somewhat delicate, and if they stick, you will end up with donut crumbles rather than the pretty little rings you’re looking for. 

Use a spoon to spread the batter in the bottom of the rings in the pan. Don’t overfill; your donuts are going to rise, and you don’t want them to be top-heavy!

Step 3 | Bake

Pop your donuts into the oven at 425° for 7-8 minutes. They cook fast! You’ll know they’re done when a knife inserted into one of the rings comes out clean. 

Step 4 | Glaze and Enjoy!

Once your donuts are done, use a knife to pop them out of the pan. For best results allow them to cool completely before attempting to frost or glaze them. If you don’t wait long enough, your frosting will melt and your fluffy donuts will look sad. 

Below, I’ve listed a number of options for how to glaze or frost your cake donuts. They also taste great plain!

How to frost your donuts

​If you don’t want to eat your donuts plain, you have a few options for how to finish them.

• Frosting Glaze: You can make a super simple glaze by just buying a can of frosting from the store!  This works for everything except coconut pecan frosting. If you microwave the frosting for 15-20 seconds, it gets a a little melty, and you can pour it in a bowl, then dip the top of the donut in. That’s what I did with the ones in the pictures. I used cream cheese frosting to create that gorgeous topping! I love this option, because its so versatile — I can make a milk chocolate glaze, strawberry, buttercream, lemon, or even salted caramel without any work!
• Powdered Sugar Glaze: In a bowl, mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of water or milk. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix it well. You can dip your donuts into this glaze for a delicious dessert!
• Cinnamon Sugar: You can do this with your warm donuts! Just combine 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon. Then, melt 1/2 cup butter. Dip the donuts into the melted butter, then into the cinnamon sugar. 

Substitutions

For this recipe, you’re pretty much locked in on using a cake mix (although you have a choice of lots of different flavors!), but there are quite a few substitutions you can use for the club soda. 

• Pure Pumpkin: This one works especially well with spice cake mix or chocolate cake mix to make pumpkin donuts. One 15 oz can of pumpkin puree can be substituted for the club soda. This will change the flavor, adding an earthy, deep undertone to your donuts’ taste. 
• Unsweetened Applesauce: Love this one with yellow cake mix! You can sub 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce for the club soda. This does add an extra layer of sweeteness to your donuts. You can also consider using a cinnamon flavored applesauce. This goes well with spice cake mix.
• Greek Yogurt: Greek yoghurt is a neutral flavored substitution, so it goes with just about any flavor. As long as you use plain yogurt, this will not change the taste of your donuts, but it will affect the texture. Greek yogurt donuts are less fluffy and more dense. If you choose to use vanilla yogurt, it will add vanilla flavor and sweetness. 
• Sparkling Water, Seltzer, or Tonic Water: All of these can take the place of your soda. The sparkling water is the closest. There’s very little difference in taste or texture with sparkling water. Seltzer and tonic water both have additional flavors, but they are so mild, that the difference is negligible. 

​Flavor Ideas

You can make just about any flavor they make cake mixes for, but here are a few of my favorite donut recipes!

• Funfetti: ​Use a yellow cake mix and vanilla frosting. Add sprinkles to your finished donut for a fun birthday vibe.
• Strawberry Cheesecake: Strawberry cake mix glazed with cream cheese frosting is an elegant and delicious option! You can top with crushed graham cracker if you want to kick it up a notch.
• Dark Chocolate Caramel: Betty Crocker makes a dark chocolate cake mix that tastes like a dream! Combine that with Pillsbury’s salted caramel frosting, and you have a decadent dessert that’s perfect for any party. Adding a sprinkle of flaky salt to the tops is the perfect finishing touch!
• Strawberry Lemon: Lemon cake mix with a strawberry frosting glaze is a fantastic spring flavor combo!

What do I do with the leftovers?

These donuts will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 

You can freeze unfrosted donuts. Just place the baked donuts in a freezer safe container, and they’ll keep frozen for up to 3 months. 

To thaw, place the donuts on the counter for 4 hours.