How to Make Ombre Donuts That Are Insanely Instagram-able
Thinking about veering from the traditional wedding cake and going with a dessert table? Let us inspire you :) Donuts are on trend right now, but frying them at home can be intimidating, so we’re going to make an easier (and slightly healthier) baked version. They’re the perfect addition to a dessert bar and can be made ahead of time for your DIY wedding. These mini vanilla white chocolate cake donuts can be left minimal and elegant with soft pastel tones and edible flowers, or you can fancy them up with bright icing, sprinkles and chocolate coated pretzels. The color combinations and decorating possibilities are endless and easily customizable for any event.
Ingredients:
Makes approximately 30 mini cake donuts
For the Baked Donuts:
— 185 grams self raising flour (1 metric cup + 2 Tablespoons)
— 60 grams caster sugar (¼ metric cup)
— 100 grams white cooking chocolate
— 135 grams buttermilk (½ metric cup)
— 1 large egg
— 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
— 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Glaze:
— 2 cups icing sugar
— 2.5 Tablespoons milk (add more liquid for a thinner glaze)
— 1 teaspoon flavoring of choice (lemon juice, vanilla etc.)
— gel food coloring of choice
Decorations:
— sprinkles
— chocolate-dipped pretzels
— edible flowers
— gold/silver leaf or luster dust
Instructions:
Donuts:
1. Pre-heat oven to 365 degrees Fahrenheit, and spray mini donut pans with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Melt chocolate in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring each time to ensure the chocolate does not overheat. Continue until completely melted, then set aside to cool.
3. Add egg, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla paste into a large bowl and whisk until just combined.
4. Mix in sifted flour until incorporated, then fold in cooled white chocolate until just combined.
Optional: Add raspberries, lemon rind, Oreos, chocolate chips etc. into the batter for different flavor combinations!
5. Transfer batter into a large piping bag, and cut a small hole at the tip. Pipe batter into pans approximately 2/3 of the way full.
6. Bake for eight to 10 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let donuts cool in pans for five to 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
Glaze + Decor:
1. Place sifted icing sugar, milk and flavoring in a bowl over a double boiler. Stir until combined. You may need to add more milk to get the consistency you desire.
2. Take off heat and begin dipping (donuts must be completely cool)! For ombre donuts, it’s easiest to start from white or the lightest color, then gradually add more gel food coloring as you go. This process makes things a little easier with less cleaning up too!
3. After dipping each donut, add decorations before the glaze sets.
4. If piping lines or other patterns, spoon a little bit of a slightly diluted version of each color glaze into a small ziplock or piping bag, then snip a small hole at the tip. Pipe on donuts when the base glazing has set. Finish off with gold/silver leaf or luster dust if desired.
Be sure you don’t pipe too much batter into the pan, or your donuts will be misshapen.
Let them cool in the pan before transferring them to the rack.
Tastes like cake, looks like a donut!
Edible flowers are such a great addition for a wedding. They’re elegant, colorful and they add that floral touch that brings a wedding to life!
Time to ice these babies! Make your glaze in a double boiler, and dip your donuts in when they have completely cooled.
Let the glaze run down the sides a bit, then add your decorations before the glaze hardens.
Add edible flowers on the day of serving to minimize wilting.
The gold luster adds a bit of glam.
Once you’ve got the technique down pat, make more using the other colors in your wedding palette.
So gorgeous!
These donuts are best eaten fresh (within the first day), but can keep up to three days in an air tight container at room temperature. Only refrigerate if the weather is hot, and be sure to take them out 30 minutes before serving.
What other wedding dessert alternatives have you eaten at nuptials? For more wedding inspo, follow us on Pinterest!