TWO. INGREDIENTS. That’s it. You can make this chocolate baked donut recipe with just one box of chocolate cake mix and a jar of applesauce. They are soft and moist and just melt in your mouth. I even have a super savvy tip for adding ready-made frosting. These chocolate donuts are so good, you won’t even know they’re made with applesauce!
Sometimes you just need a super quick win! I love to use cake mix as a base for delicious bundt cakes like our favorite chocolate Kahlua cake and the buttery rich pecan rum cake. When I can take a cake mix and only need ONE other ingredient from the pantry to make donuts, AND call it healthy, it’s really a good day. We love whipping up two ingredient pumpkin donuts and now we’ve added these yummy chocolate donuts to the mix!
It couldn’t be simpler to bake these donuts. Let’s get to it.
Chocolate Donut Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 15 oz. jar of plain applesauce
- Optional: ready-made chocolate frosting and toppings
Baking Instructions
Step 1: Pour 15 oz. of applesauce into a mixing bowl. Stir in one package of chocolate cake mix until batter is evenly mixed.
Step 2: Grease the donut pan. You can use any size donut pan you like. I prefer metal donut pans. These are the donut pans I have the best luck with (affil).
Step 3: Fill each cavity of donut pan halfway full of batter. It is easiest to pipe the batter into the pan. If you don’t have a piping bag, just fill a gallon size ziplock bag and snip the corner off to make a piping bag.
Step 4: Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Gently press your finger against the baked donut. If it springs back, the donuts are done baking. If the indent stays in the donuts, bake them a few minutes longer until they’re done.
Step 5: Allow the baked donuts to cool in the pan. Gently remove them from the pan onto a cooling rack. They should just tip right out of the pan. If they stick at all, scoot a spatula underneath to loosen them.
Step 6: Time to frost these delicious treats! Obviously, you can use any kind of frosting or toppings that your little heart desires, but since we’re going for SUPER FAST AND EASY, there is nothing faster than a can of pre-made frosting. Choose a nice chocolatey flavor and here’s the secret….pop the can into the microwave for 30 second increments until the frosting is perfectly pourable. A full can will probably take 1 minute total – so super fast!
Once the frosting is pourable, you can top the donuts in one of two ways. Either pour the frosting into a bowl and dunk the top of the donuts in. Or pour the frosting straight from the tub over the top of the donuts. The cooling rack underneath the donuts gives the extra drips a place to go.
Step 7: Once the donuts are frosted, you can sprinkle on any topping you’d like! Coconut is great, as are sprinkles or chocolate chips! Give them some color or stick with a death by chocolate theme. Whatever you choose, get ready to sink your teeth in!
Oh yeah! Those donuts are ready to eat! So good! No one will know they’re made from applesauce unless you tell them.
These baked donuts will stay fresh for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Do not frost until ready to serve!
You can freeze the baked donuts as well. Freeze on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Once frozen, place the donuts in an airtight container and keep frozen. The donuts will defrost at room temperature within several hours.
Chocolate Baked Donut Recipe
Chocolate Baked Donut Recipe
Equipment
- donut pan
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 15 oz. applesauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Grease donut pan.
- Stir together applesauce and cake mix.
- Fill each donut cavity half full.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until donuts spring back to the touch.
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Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
M. MOUNTS says
I make cookies with cake mixes and applesauce most people don’t care if they taste the applesauce.
Debra says
Can’t wait to try!
Nancy says
Hi! Do you think that applesauce and spice cake mix would work?
Stefanie says
Yes! That will work great! The stronger flavos in the spice mix will mask any applesauce flavor, but even if it came through, spice cake and apple are delicious togethr. Spice cake mix with canned pumpkin is also amazing.
Debra says
I do spice cake and pumpkin alot. it sounds silly but the shape of the pan, ie, donut, muffin, loaf pan, make it seem like a different dessert/treat, every time 🙂!
Kgm says
Be aware these are not donuts. They are cupcakes shaped like donuts. But easy to make and they do taste very good. I drizzled ganache and glaze on some of them. Tasty.
Rachael says
I think these are fun, I’m cracking up at some of the comments. Be aware these aren’t donuts lol no kidding cake donuts didn’t give that away lol I think it’s good considering. it’s a fun kid project.
Pat Satran says
Recipe sounds amazing my question how many donuts do you make from one batch? Can a small Bundt cake pan be used? The one I have makes 18 does that mean 3 boxes of cake mixes? Thank you for sharing always looking for new recipes to share.
Stefanie says
This recipe makes 12 standard size cake-style donuts. You can bake them into muffins/cupcakes and, I’m sure, small bundt cakes would also work, you would just need to adjust bake time. The donuts really use just a small amount of batter. I haven’t baked them as bundt cakes so I don’t know how many it would make.
Kolleen says
I haven’t made these but I’ve substituted applesauce for oil in chocolate cake mix and it’s delicious. I’ve done the same with waffles and it didn’t taste as good as with the chocolate. Give it a try. I will!
Karen says
I love these. light, moist and delicious!!!
Jeannie says
Hi! Have you ever used cake mix with pudding in the mix? Thank you!
Stefanie says
I think a lot of the standard cake mixes now have pudding in the mix – they will work just fine in this recipe!
Bush says
Easy, delicious, and grandkids loved them. Six count donut pan. 1st batch plain, 2nd batch with chocolate chips.
Karen says
What size boxed cake mix?
girlinspired says
Hi Karen, I use a standard (American) size box of cake mix – usually 15.25 oz. I think if your size is a little different, it won’t make much of a difference. Happy baking!
FRED says
WHEN MAKING DONUTS USING APPLESAUSE /CAKEMIX DO YOU STILL USE INGREDIENTS ON PACKAGE BOX TO MAKE CAKE BATTER OR JUST CAKEMIX & APPLESAUCE
girlinspired says
Hi Fred! No other ingredients needed! You just mix the cake mix with the applesauce and bake!
Mk says
Fun to make they are delicious thankyou for sharing
dan says
Can any flavor cake mix be used to make these 2 ingredient donuts?
girlinspired says
Yes! You can do this with any flavor cake mix – chocolate masks the applesauce flavor really well, but the other would be great, too.
Patty says
Did you use unsweetened applesauce
girlinspired says
Hi Patty! Yes, I always use unsweetened applesauce, but sweetened would work also.
Barbara says
This recipe looks yummy. I have to try this one. Thank you for sharing.
Ter says
Very moist and yummy! I added milk chocolate chips. Hubby loved them. Thank you. T 🙂
Beverly Breeden says
is that sugar free cake mix