Baked Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

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These Carrot Cake doughnuts are the perfect way to start your day. They’re packed with flavor and are super moist, and the pineapple cream cheese frosting is simply delicious!

a shot of one Carrot Cake Doughnut topped with cream cheese frosting.


 

Delicious Baked Donuts

Doughnuts. Oh how I love you! Particularly if you are gourmet. Or cake doughnuts. Maybe it’s Donuts? 🤔

You have seen me bake or fry a few donuts here and there: Baked Cinnamon Doughnuts with Vanilla Glaze, Mojito Doughnuts, Jelly Doughnut Holes… I could talk about this doughnut biznass all day with you. Completely normal, right?

It’s been a few months since my last doughnut creation, thus, when I thought of a carrot cake plus a doughnut recipe, I had to have it! 🤤

Making Carrot Cake Doughnuts

Regardless, these DOUGHNUTS are prepared with a combination of grated carrots, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other warm spices, which gives them a rich and flavorful taste that is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a snack.

Cooling frosted donuts on a wire rack.

I should share that I didn’t want to come near a carrot cake until maybe 5 years ago. The thought of a vegetable in a cake did not appeal to me. Until that one day… I don’t know what got over me, but I thought, fear no more, take that bite! And I did. Oh my Gah, I fell in love with carrot cake.

The texture is awesome. The taste, pretty awesome. The frosting, super freakin’ awesome!

Put all that awesomeness in a baked carrot cake doughnut and you’ve got the best darn doughnut, ever! The Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting is da bomb!

I could not stop myself. I ate 4 of the 18 doughnuts. You know, just for taste. In case I needed to adjust a thing or two.

Are Baked Donuts Healthier?

But carrot cake donuts that are baked are a healthier alternative to fried doughnuts because they are not cooked in oil, which reduces the amount of fat and calories in the final product. They are also a great way to sneak some vegetables into your diet and make a tasty and nutritious breakfast or snack.

Two Baked Carrot Cake Doughnuts on a wooden table.

If you don’t have a doughnut pan yet, go and get one. You’ll love yourself for it. I know fried doughnuts rule, but baked doughnuts aren’t bad… not at all. They rock my world! They should be rocking yours, too.

ENJOY!

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5 from 1 vote

Baked Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

Baked Carrot Cake Doughnuts frosted with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting and topped with Toasted Walnuts.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 18 servings

Ingredients 

For the Carrot Cake Doughnuts:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • teaspoons baking powder
  • teaspoons baking soda
  • 8 tablespoons butter,, softened
  • cup light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • cup plain yogurt
  • cup crushed pineapple,, drained, reserve 4 tablespoons juice for the frosting
  • cup finely shredded carrots

For the Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 tablespoons butter,, softened
  • 4 ounces cream cheese,, softened
  • 4 tablespoons pineapple juice
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • Toasted chopped walnuts for garnish
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Instructions 

For the Carrot Cake Doughnuts

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F.
  • Lightly grease the doughnut pan with cooking spray and set it aside.
  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
  • In your mixer's bowl, cream together the butter, light brown sugar, and salt.
  • Add the egg, vanilla, and yogurt; beat until smooth.
  • Set the mixer to low and slowly add in the flour mixture until completely incorporated.
  • Using a spatula, fold in the pineapple and carrots.
  • Spoon the mixture into a piping bag or a ziploc bag and pipe the batter into the doughnut pan, filling only 1/2 way up the doughnut cavities.
  • Bake for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let the doughnuts cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack to continue cooling.

In the meantime prepare the Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In your mixer's bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until creamy and smooth.
  • Pour in the pineapple juice and powdered sugar; continue to beat until completely blended and smooth.
  • Frost the doughnuts and top them with chopped, toasted walnuts.

To toast the walnuts

  • Add the chopped walnuts to a frying pan.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until toasted and fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Notes

Adapted from Life’s Simple Measures
 

Nutrition

Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 985IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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39 Comments

  1. Taking On Magazines says:

    I’ve resisted buying a doughnut pan simply because of that 4 out of 18 thing. I might as well just glue them to my hips. Every time I look at them, like the amazing ones you made, I almost give in. They look so delicious.

  2. Kristen says:

    Oh dear me – these look sooooo good.

  3. Averie @Averie Cooks says:

    Ive been reading Jess’ blog for a couple years and she has some gems on her site! Buried treasure recipes that I love discovering – like these donuts! I love carrot cake so much and bet that in donuts it’s awesome!

  4. Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says:

    Mmm carrot cake for breakfast!

  5. Melissa says:

    These donuts look absolutely amazing! Great SRC choice!

  6. Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says:

    Just the title had my mouth watering! These sound amazing! Saving this one for sure, great choice!

  7. Paula - bell'alimento says:

    Carrot Cake Doughnuts. Yes please.

  8. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says:

    Send a dozen my way, pretty please?! Gorgeous snaps! ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. Our Eating Habits says:

    Those donuts look Mucho Delicious! Welcome to the club!

  10. Serena says:

    I agree! Gourmet or cake donuts all the way …for this dietitian! (:
    Looking forward to making your ‘da bomb’ of a recipe! Just found your site thru SRC! Love!