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Baked Red Velvet Donut Recipe

With a hint of cocoa, and a touch of vanilla, these red velvet donuts with cream cheese icing will be a hit with your Valentine.
Course Breakfast
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 18 -24 donuts
Author Sarah @ The Gold Lining Girl

Ingredients

For donuts:

  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 c. cocoa powder
  • 1 c. packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 c. buttermilk
  • 6 tbsp. butter melted
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. red gel food paste

For cream cheese icing:

  • 1 - 8 oz. package reduced-fat cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 c. butter softened
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • about 3 c. powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp. milk

Instructions

For donuts:

  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla, eggs, and food color.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
  • Lightly grease regular-sized donut pans, or heart-shaped, if you have them!
  • Pour the batter into a gallon-sized plastic bag, and snip the corner.
  • Pipe the batter into the donut cavities, filling them about 2/3-full.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until donuts spring back when lightly pressed.
  • Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, prepare icing.

For cream cheese icing:

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy.
  • Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk.
  • Beat for 2-3 minutes, or until thick and smooth.
  • Icing should be thicker than a glaze, but thinner than buttercream. You want the consistency to be such that you can dunk the donuts into it. Add more milk, if needed, to achieve this consistency.
  • Dunk donuts in icing. Return to wire racks to set.
  • If desired, crumble up one donut, and sprinkle the crumbs onto the other donuts for garnish.