You only need 30 minutes for these easy, fluffy, homemade baked chocolate vegan doughnuts. The cake donuts are soft and delicious, plus they have an extra-special Earl Grey drizzle. No yeast or frying.
Recipe commissioned by Trex.
Traditionally, doughnuts are deep fried, but that's a messy business and very unhealthy. Do people even have deep fryers in their kitchens anymore? I'm sure in the 80s it was a 'thing' to deep fry at home, but these days healthier methods are the norm.
These, on the other hand, are baked cake donuts. They only take 30 minutes to make and are yeast-free - so much easier!
The egg-free and dairy-free vegan doughnuts have a springy texture and rich chocolate flavour. They're then topped with a simple Earl Grey tea infused glaze for an extra burst of flavour.
It's funny, but whenever I think of doughnuts it reminds me of my late Granny, who called them gravy rings. That's the Northern Irish term for ring doughnuts, apparently named so because gravy is a term for hot oil. It always makes me chuckle to picture her sat in her chair, giggling.
Baked doughnuts
You'll need a doughnut pan to make these tasty treats, but they're inexpensive. I bought mine from Amazon for under a tenner. I've used it to make lemon spinach doughnuts, pumpkin doughnuts and even watercress and grapefruit doughnuts!
Baked doughnuts are quick and easy. You just need to mix up a cake batter, pour it into the moulds and bake. I like to use a piping bag to pipe it into the moulds for a cleaner result, but a spoon will do!
Have you been watching the latest series of Great British Bake Off? I love the drama, the laughter, the flying flour and challenge panic. It's amazing to see all the bakers work their magic. It's great that they're going to have a vegan week this year.
If I was on it (no way!) I'd perhaps whip up these doughnuts in the tent - though I'd probably have to turn them into a showstopping croquembouche with sugar swirls and sugarpaste teapots...
Baked Vegan Chocolate Doughnuts with Earl Grey Glaze
These doughnuts have a rich chocolate flavour and fluffy springy texture. They're light but not overly delicate. My secret ingredient is Trex solid vegetable oil baking product rather than butter. But more on that later...
To make them really special, I've added a simple Earl Grey glaze. You just need to steep the tea in a little dairy-free milk, then stir in some powdered icing sugar. The result is a flavourful glaze with those unmistakable bergamot and citrus notes. It works beautifully with the chocolate.
Within 30 minutes, you can be sitting down with a cup of tea (Earl Grey of course!) and enjoying these easy vegan baked donuts. Forget tea and biscuits - this year I'm all about tea and donuts.
How to make baked vegan doughnuts
You will need:
Dairy free alternative to butter - I used Trex, the UK's no 1 alternative for baking
Dairy free milk (oat, almond, soy etc...)
Vinegar or lemon juice
Flour
Sugar
Vanilla
Cocoa Powder
Baking powder
Bicarb of soda (baking soda)
Earl Grey tea bags
Powdered icing sugar
Doughnut pan
Step 1: Beat the fat and sugar together until light and fluffy
Step 2: Sift in the dry ingredients, along with the milk that has been soured with the lemon juice or vinegar
Step 4: Mix all ingredients together
Step 5: Spoon into a piping bag and pipe into the doughnut pan (or spoon it into the pan), then bake
Trex
For the dairy free butter alternative in this recipe, I've used Trex. It's a super-versatile vegan solid vegetable oil that's perfect for baking. I love how light and fluffy it makes bakes! Plus it's really easy to use and is lower in saturated fat than butter and whips up lightly really quickly - even straight from the fridge.
It's great that it has no hydrogenated vegetable oil, e-numbers, colours or preservatives. I like that it's pure white, so it's great for making white coloured frostings for cakes. Other dairy free butters tend to make frosting a bit yellow coloured, but not Trex.
Get the recipe for Vegan Chocolate Doughnuts with Earl Grey Glaze
Baked Vegan Chocolate Doughnuts with Earl Grey Glaze
Ingredients
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) dairy-free milk soy, almond etc...
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
- 75 g (⅓ cup) TREX vegetable baking fat (dairy free spread)
- 100 g (½ cup) caster sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 g 1 ⅓ cups) plain (all purpose) flour
- 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
For the Earl Grey Drizzle
- 2 tablespoon dairy-free milk
- 2 Earl Grey teabags
- 125 g (1 cup) powdered icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170C/325F. Lightly grease a donut pan.
- Stir the lemon juice or vinegar into the milk and set aside to thicken slightly into ‘buttermilk’.
- Add the Trex and sugar to a large bowl and beat together with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the milk mixture and vanilla, then sift in the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and soda, then mix until combined.
- Fill the doughnut moulds with the batter until ¾ full and bake for 12 minutes, or until springy.
- Leave to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Earl Grey icing
- Heat the milk and tea bags in a small pan until hot.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool and steep for 10 minutes. Gently squeeze the bags into the milk to extract more Earl Grey flavour, taking care not to tear the bags.
- Allow to cool completely, then beat the infused milk with the icing sugar until smooth. If necessary, add a little more milk or icing sugar to get a thick drizzling consistency.
- Drizzle the icing over the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this UK food blog, sharing vegetarian and vegan recipes, vegetable cake recipes and also easy vegan desserts.
Kate x
Disclosure: This recipe for vegan donuts was commissioned by Trex. All opinions are my own.
Charli
Baked donuts are the best! I use to make them for my old boss who was vegan - they were the only thing we could all do for her birthday treats!
Cx
Iryna
I love the addition of Earl Grey drizzle. Something new to try! I wouldn't mind having one of these doughnuts with my cup of coffee tomorrow.
Kate Hackworthy
Or cup of Earl Grey! Ha ha. I hope you get the chance to make it. 🙂
Tisha
Love this recipe! That earl grey glaze looks perfect!!
Danielle
These look incredible! I've never tried to make doughnuts myself, I love the really unique earl grey flavor of these ones!
Kate Hackworthy
They're really easy! I hope you get the chance to try them!
Caty
My friends are vegan and we had a Weds coffee morning yesterday so I made the doughnuts and everyone ate them up. I had that doughnut mould thing for ages and only used it once (two years ago, for a birthday party) so I was glad to use it again. I put the glaze all over and added chocolate sprinkles and they were really yum.
Pam
These sound amazing and the Earl Grey glaze is a genius idea for topping them!
Sonal
Oh I am loving the entire post actually. That photo of yours with sofa setting is 👌.. That glaze is 👌👌... nothing like baked donuts and I am so stealing your chai glaze idea 😍
Amanda
Absolutely love donuts! Love that this is a healthier recipe too. I’m not much of a baker, but may have to try this!
Kaz | Ickle Pickles Life and Travels
These look so delicious - I love that they are vegan. Kaz
Angela Milnes
These look so super tasty and it's something I'm going to have to bookmark and try to bake myself!
bex allum
This looks amazing.. not sure about the earl grey topping though.
Sarah
Oh these look amazing! Anything chocolate or doughnut and i'm completely sold. I so need to make these! (Also, people do still use deep fat fryers, my husband tried to make me buy one but I refused!!)
Mellissa Williams
These baked doughnuts look amazing. Love the look of the glaze and baking them really cuts the calories too
Alex Gladwin
These look incredible. They've made me hungry!! Thank you for sharing. x
Sammy
Oo these look amazing and I like the idea of earl grey flavours with the chocolate doughnuts 🙂 I've ordered a donut tray so I can't wait to try lots of baked donuts.
Lauretta
Oh my goodness! These are so yummy. I will have to try making these with my teens.
Lynne Harper
These look absolutely gorgeous. Another great option as someone mentioned above for kids with allergies. My dude has an egg allergy so these are perfect plus all the family would enjoy as well x
Kirsty
I love the sound of these doughnuts that are healthier but a nice treat for when you want something a little bit sweet. The earl grey combination is making me intrigued.
Kara
Oh my, these look so tasty - I need one now with a cuppa
Hannah
These look nice. Didn't know you could get vegan chocolate donuts
Anosa
Never had vegan doughnuts before but these look absolutely yummy, love the glazing too. I am literally salivating right now
Louise
Gravy Rings! Hahahaha. That's such a cute name. These look super delcious and healthy too - I'll definitely be attempting to make these x
Jenny
I've never heard of a baked doughnut before. I love doughnuts and would be happy to try these!
Rebecca Hubbell
I'm an absolute sucker for all things Earl Grey and I love the way the glaze paired with these delicious chocolate donuts!
Renee Goerger
I'm excited to make these for my mom. She's the tea drinker of the family and she'll appreciate that these are vegan. Thanks for the recipe!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
I've never made my own doughnuts before but I could eat a whole plate of these. What a great flavor combo, too -- how did you come up with an Earl Grey glaze?
kim
I'm such a donut fan and these look so good! I'm sure my kids will love them too. Will be trying soon!
David @ Cooking Chat
No deep fryer here! These look great! Would actually work with our son's food allergies, definitely pinning this one to try.
Danielle Wolter
These look amazing!! Your photos are just gorgeous. I love the idea of baked donuts 🙂
Prajakta Sukhatme
Oh My ! I am drooling looking at these pictures ! Never thought of making homemade donuts. This recipe is so detail . Baked and Vegan . Absolutely love it