Strawberry Buttercream Frosted Donuts (Print Version)
Fluffy baked donuts with luscious strawberry buttercream, ideal for breakfast or dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Donuts
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - ¾ cup whole milk
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
09 - ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - ¼ cup strawberry purée (fresh or frozen strawberries blended until smooth)
12 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnish
14 - Freeze-dried strawberry pieces
15 - Sprinkles
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cavity donut pan generously and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the donuts dense.
05 - Transfer the batter into a piping bag or a zip-top bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe the batter evenly into each cavity of the prepared donut pan, filling each about three-quarters full.
06 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the donuts are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
07 - In a mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature butter with an electric mixer until creamy and pale. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating on low until incorporated, then increase to medium-high until smooth.
08 - Add the strawberry purée, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to the buttercream. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy. Adjust consistency with additional powdered sugar for thickness or a splash of milk to thin.
09 - Once the donuts are completely cool, spread or pipe the strawberry buttercream generously over each donut.
10 - Top each frosted donut with freeze-dried strawberry pieces or sprinkles as desired. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Baked instead of fried means you get that tender cake texture without the mess or guilt of hot oil.
- The strawberry buttercream uses real fruit puree, so the flavor tastes like June in every bite.
02 -
- Wait until the donuts are completely cool before frosting, because even slightly warm cake will melt the buttercream into a sticky puddle.
- Strain the strawberry puree if you want a smoother frosting, since seeds can interrupt that silky texture.
03 -
- Fill the donut cavities no more than two-thirds full to avoid batter overflowing and creating a muffin top instead of a clean ring shape.
- Let the butter for the frosting soften naturally at room temperature for at least an hour, because microwaving it creates uneven soft spots that make the frosting separate.