I used to fry hundreds of soft, golden-brown blueberry cake donuts every morning at a bakery where I worked. I handled the fryer, so I’ve learned a lot about getting that tender interior and crisp edge that make bakery-style donuts irresistible.
To recreate that texture at home, I developed a hand-mixed cake batter studded with frozen wild blueberries and finish the donuts with a bright blueberry glaze. They’re like a fried version of my bakery-style blueberry muffins: tender inside, slightly crisp on the outside, and just sweet enough that you’ll likely reach for another.
Mini donuts are perfect for a pop-in-your-mouth snack, but if you want something a little more substantial I often turn to my best blueberry cupcake recipe, which layers blueberry flavor in the batter, filling, and frosting.
Table of Contents
Tips for Perfect Cake Donuts
Use frozen wild blueberries, not fresh ones. Wild berries are smaller, hold their shape better in the batter, and release less juice, which prevents the batter from becoming thin and keeps berries evenly distributed.
Portion with a spring-release scoop. A two-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop drops batter cleanly into the oil, reducing splatter and producing consistent donut sizes so they cook evenly.
Keep your oil at a steady temperature—about 350°F. Too hot and the outside will brown before the inside cooks; too cool and the donuts will absorb excess oil. Fry in small batches and use a thermometer for best results.
The Step-by-Step Process
1
Make the donut batter, then refrigerate. Chilling allows the dry ingredients to hydrate and the batter to firm slightly, which yields moister, fluffier donuts and helps the batter hold its shape when scooped.
2
Fry until golden, then transfer to a wire rack. Mini donuts cook quickly—set a timer and flip once for an even color. Let any excess oil drain on the rack before glazing.
Baking with frozen blueberries is especially satisfying because they keep their texture and color. If you prefer a baked treat, my blueberry crumble muffins offer the same soft crumb with a crunchy topping.
3
Make the blueberry glaze. A mix of powdered freeze-dried blueberry powder and a touch of blueberry emulsion or extract delivers a vivid blueberry flavor. Whisk the glaze until smooth and warm it slightly to thin for dipping.
4
Dunk each donut in the glaze, then drain. Use a slotted spoon to lift the donut from the glaze, tap the spoon on the bowl to remove excess, and return the donut to the rack to set.
If you want something sliceable, a blueberry loaf with lemon glaze offers the same soft cake texture with a bright citrus finish.
If you try this recipe, please share how it turned out in the comments and leave a star rating—I love hearing from readers. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can see your creations!
Blueberry Cake Donuts with Blueberry Glaze
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Ingredients
For the Cake Donut Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons salted European butter, melted
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2/3 cup frozen wild blueberries
- Neutral frying oil (vegetable, canola, or avocado)
For the Blueberry Glaze
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2–3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried blueberry powder
- 1 teaspoon blueberry emulsion or extract
Instructions
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Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, buttermilk, egg, sour cream, and vanilla until combined.
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Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until almost combined. Gently fold in the frozen wild blueberries, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Heat 2 inches of neutral frying oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven to 355°F and prepare a wire rack over a paper towel-lined baking sheet for draining.
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Using a two-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, drop batter straight into the oil and fry for 3 minutes, flipping once for even color. Fry in batches of 6–8 donuts and let the oil return to temperature between batches. Transfer donuts to the wire rack.
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Whisk together powdered sugar, freeze-dried blueberry powder, milk, and blueberry emulsion or extract until smooth. Warm the glaze briefly until it is pourable.
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Dip each donut into the glaze, remove with a slotted spoon, tap to remove excess, return to the wire rack, and enjoy warm.
Notes
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.
Blueberry flavoring: A blueberry emulsion or extract intensifies the glaze; omit if unavailable, but the flavor will be milder.
Blueberries: This recipe works best with frozen wild blueberries—they’re smaller and less juicy than fresh berries, which helps the batter maintain its texture.
The calorie and nutrition information provided is an estimate and not guaranteed to be exact.
This recipe was created and tested by a real person
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