Baked Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
Feb 18, 2013, Updated Jan 31, 2021
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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!
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.
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.
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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Baked Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Doughnuts:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 8 tablespoons butter,, softened
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup plain yogurt
- ⅔ cup crushed pineapple,, drained, reserve 4 tablespoons juice for the frosting
- ⅔ 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
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
Nutrition
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.
I made these this morning, OMG! So, so good! I used 1 c all purpose flour and 1 c whole wheat, and light butter and fat free cream cheese (because I’m trying to eat lighter), they turned out fantastic! I was nervous because the batter was so thick, but not to worry. Thanks so much for the recipe! We gobbled up a half dozen right out of the oven.
Awesome!! I’m so glad you loved them! I am jotting down your tips… I’ll definitely make them a bit lighter next time so I can down 8 instead of stopping at 4! ๐
I feel like I need to buy donut pan so that I can make baked version. Because of deep fried donuts, I rarely go buy donuts (and I love them too). I’ll be hooked to make baked version for sure… this carrot cake donuts sounds amazing, and I love your pineapple cream cheese frosting. Never thought pineapple and carrot combination. Oh I wish I could eat this!
Oh my goodness!!! these look divine! I am printing recipe right now ๐
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Nancy
LOVE your blog!
Thank You! ๐
These doughnuts look amazing! All your photos are fantastic but that first shot is just outstanding! Love the pineapple cream cheese frosting on these too. Lovely!
Mmmm….Carrot Cake is my absolute fave for indulgent cakes…spicy, moist and creamy frosting? Now, in a baked doughnut? With pineapple juice in the frosting? HELLO! And, come to Momma! So glad you finally caved & tried Carrot Cake, Kate! Nom… xo
Wow, Kate. LOVE these doughnuts. And since they’re baked, I get to eat the entire batch, right? ๐
Looks delicious! Great SRC choice! Those donuts are too die for – lovely photos!!!!
Are you kidding me? These are gorgeous, Kate!!!
I’m so glad you’re in the SRC…AND in my group! These doughnuts look marvelous, Kate!
So very glad to see you made these donuts and enjoyed them! I agree with you, that frosting is ridic! Glad to be part of SRC with you!