Is there a debate over traditional versus cake donuts or can we all agree that all donuts are created equal? Well, maybe notall donuts are created equal. Don’t get me wrong, all donuts taste amazing, but donuts notoriously pack a serious calorie punch. No matter how hard you train, it’s difficult to routinely eat donuts without growing the waistline. That’s why I’ve set out to make high protein, lower calorie donuts. And in this case, I set out to make a high protein cake donuts recipe that didn’t taste like cardboard and didn’t have a ton of luck if we’re being honest.
With a recipe like the double chocolate protein donuts,I was able to provide moisture through adding in things like pumpkin. A cake donut, on the other hand, doesn’t work the same way. Alas, persistence is key. While it took a ton of trial and error, we officially have high protein cake donuts that taste great and have a ridiculous amount of protein per donut.
Let’s get into it.
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High Protein Cake Donuts Ingredients
Aside from protein powder, our protein cake donuts call for coconut flour. If you would like to substitute all purpose flour for coconut flour, you can use a 3:1 conversion. In this recipe, instead of 3 Tbsp or 21g of coconut flour, you’ll need 1/2 C or 60g of all purpose flour. This swap would add 130 calories and 32g of carbs, so if you’d like to order coconut flour for future recipes, this is the flour I use.
If you’re okay with a bit more fat and calories, you could add 2 Tbsp (28g) coconut oil instead of apple sauce. This should give a moister donut but will add about 40 calories per donut.
For the cake donut glaze or icing, you can probably guess what I used if you’re familiar with my recipes. That’s right, the ultimate protein frosting. I can’t help it — it’s just the best. A common question I receive is about the fat-free evaporated milk and whether or not you could substitute other liquids. The answer is yes, you could swap any low-cal liquid but add slowly as it may not be as thick with other liquids. But after trying tons of icing combos, the evaporated milk reigns supreme.
Just be sure to avoid buying fat-free versions that have a ton of added sugar. Look for 25 calories per 2 Tbsp.
You can be as festive as you like with the sprinkles, just be sure to account for them in your macro calculations. I used a Christmas-themed combo pack from Amazon.
You’ll find the full Christmascake donut recipe below, but I’d like to leave you with a 4-ingredient quick-and-easy recipe for chocolate cake donuts as well. These are so simple, and the macros are perfect for a pre or post-workout snack.
And one last thing, any donut pan will do, but you can get the one I use on Amazonhere. The recipe makes 6 donuts, but you could easily double the recipe if you have two donut pans.
A high-protein, low-calorie cake donut recipe that tastes amazing!
Ingredients
Cake Donut
2 scoops (60g) Protein Powder, vanilla
3 Tbsp (21g) Coconut Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
6 Tbsp (92g) Liquid Egg Whites
2 Tbsp (30g) Unsweetened Apple Sauce
1 Tbsp Stevia or 0-Calorie Sweetener
Icing/Glaze
1/4 C (60mL) Fat-Free Evaporated Milk, or low-cal liquid of your choice
1 scoop (30g) Protein Powder, vanilla
1 Tbsp Stevia or 0-Calorie Sweetener
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix all donut ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.
Spoon donut mixture into the donut pan, wiping away any excess around the edges.
Bake for 5-6 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when donuts are poked.
While donuts are in the oven, mix the glaze/icing ingredients in a bowl.
Once the donuts are baked, let them cool briefly before removing and flipping onto a plate or sheet of parchment paper. Spoon the icing on top of the donuts, spreading in a circular motion. These are best served warm.
Use a good-quality bread flour that has a high protein content, as this will give your dough the structure it needs to rise and become light and fluffy. Make sure to use the right amount of yeast for your dough. Too much yeast will cause the dough to rise too quickly, resulting in a denser texture.
A cake doughnut, on the other hand, is made from what's essentially cake batter, and gets its lift from chemical leaveners (baking powder and/or baking soda). Ideally the inside is moist and crumbly, and either dense like a muffin or fluffy like birthday cake.
For example, the average glazed donut (about 4 inches in diameter) contains about 253 calories, 14 grams of fat, and 4 grams of protein — plus 14 grams of sugar.
Yeast. Yeast is a tiny yet magical organism that helps doughs of all kinds rise. Without yeast, your doughnuts might resemble dense disks rather than fluffy rings. There are a variety of types of yeasts available for purchase, and some bakers even capture native yeasts to create their own unique doughnut dough.
If a recipe includes a lot of acid such as lemon juice and buttermilk and isn't lifted with enough baking powder, the cake will taste dense. In that case, you may need the addition of baking soda which will react with the acid and create a fluffier crumb.
No one knows for sure, as the recipe is reportedly locked in a vault at the company HQ in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. However, according to food historians, mashed potato may be the secret ingredient – and the company claims it hasn't changed the recipe much since the early days.
The use of baking powder (which includes baking soda) results in much smaller air pockets within the donut, so cake donuts are denser and can absorb more moisture (which is why some people claim they're better for dunking in coffee). They're softer and less chewy, too, sometimes with a very lightly crunchy exterior.
Cake donuts are dense, fluffy, and delicious treats that can satisfy just about any sweet tooth. But while we often associate yeasted donuts with the deep fryer and cake donuts with the oven, cake donuts can actually be either baked or fried.
What kind of oil is best for cooking donuts? The best oil is the one with the least flavour. Vegetable oil and canola oil are both very good in this respect. The most important thing is to use the same oil for the same kinds of foods, since oil readily absorbs flavours and aromas.
While many early cookbooks included recipes for "old-fashioned donuts" that were made with yeast, the distinctive cake doughnuts sold in doughnut shops are made with chemical leavener and may have crisper texture compared to other styles of cake doughnuts. The cracked surface is usually glazed or coated with sugar.
Proof donuts correctly. Test by gently touching side of donut with fingertip. If it leaves a faint impression, donut is ready; if it leaves no impression, it is not proofed yet; if donut collapses, it is overproofed. Dry donuts after proofing for at least 10 minutes, or they will absorb frying shortening while frying.
What kind of flour is best for making donuts? For yeast-raised donuts you want a a flour with high protein content (12% or higher), such as a bread flour. That's because we want to develop a strong gluten network in the dough, which needs a high protein flour.
These donuts are made up with a base of oat flour, which has a bit more protein than other types of flour. Plus, it creates a really nice and fluffy texture that's perfect for baked donuts. Protein Powder. I used a vanilla pea protein, but you can use whey if you prefer.
To make light and fluffy donuts, make sure that your dough is properly risen by allowing it to rest in a warm place until it doubles in size. Also, avoid overmixing the dough as it can lead to a denser texture. Handling the dough gently and not overworking it will help maintain the desired fluffiness.
Your cake is too dense A cake that is overly dense typically has too much liquid, too much sugar or too little leavening (not excess flour, as is commonly thought).
Eggs alone can help make desserts like angel food cake light and fluffy without requiring leavening agents. The cake you make will determine how much beating eggs need. In a traditional yellow cake, you'd beat eggs individually into the batter for 1 minute each.
Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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