Fried cake doughnuts are dipped in a chocolate glaze and topped with your favorite sprinkles. They’re perfect for a weekend breakfast or a fun dessert.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream sugar and butter together. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and milk.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, followed by all of the milk mixture, then the rest of the dry ingredients, mixing to combine after each addition. Dough should be very soft but still workable.
Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface. Dust the dough with flour and knead 2-3 times, just to bring the dough into a ball. Roll to ⅓-inch thickness. Using a donut cutter or a large circle cutter and a small circle cutter, cut the dough into donut shapes, dipping the cutter(s) into flour first to prevent sticking.
Re-roll dough scraps as needed to cut all of the dough into donuts.
Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven until the temperature reaches 375° F. Do not allow the oil to get much hotter than 375°F. It's a good idea to keep a fry thermometer in the pot to continually monitor the temperature (see notes).
Place a layer of paper towels on top of a half sheet pan. Place a wire cooling rack upside-down on top of the paper towels.
Gently ease 2 donuts at a time into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or skimmer. Allow them to cook about 2 minutes on each side, then flip and cook for 1 minute on the second side; they will brown very quickly. Remove donuts from the oil with a slotted spoon. Allow the excess oil to drip back into the pan.
Place donuts immediately on the prepared cooling rack. Flip them over to drain the oil from the other side. Repeat frying process with remaining donuts and donut holes. Donut holes will only need to cook for about 1 minute per side.
Allow donuts to cool. Once cooled, dip one side of donuts into the chocolate glaze and top with rainbow or chocolate sprinkles.
For the Chocolate Glaze
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the heavy cream until very hot, but not boiling.
Place chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Whisk the cream and chocolate until smooth and thoroughly combined. Whisk in the corn syrup and vanilla.
Notes
The oil temperature will naturally lower and rise as you add and remove donuts to the oil. Make sure to keep an eye on the temperature and adjust the heat on your stove as needed to keep the temperature as close to 370-375°F as possible throughout the cooking process.Helpful resources: