Name: Chocolate Baked Donut Easter Nests
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Ingredients: 175 g Caster sugar; 30 ml Vegetable oil; 175 ml Milk; 2 Eggs (large); 200 g Self raising flour; 25 g Cocoa powder; 200 g Dark chocolate; 2 Flake bars (crushed); 36 Mini eggs

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Baked donuts are one of my favourite treats, they are lovely light and moist little cakes that are so versatile when it comes to flavour and decoration! I've created these Chocolate Baked Donut Easter Nests for the perfect spring time dessert. They are a delicious chocolate baked donut, dipped in melted chocolate, covered with crushed flake bar and decorate with mini eggs. They are absolute chocolate heaven, and if you're going to overdose on chocolate then Easter is a great time for it! The great thing about baked donuts is that they are much lighter than deep fried ones, so even though they are super chocolatey they are also much less heavy. The decoration for the donuts is super easy and would be great fun to do with kids too!

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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure your ingredients, particularly the eggs, are at room temperature before you start baking.
You can use a different type of oil besides vegetable oil. I'd recommend one that doesn't have a strong flavour, canola and sunflower oil would both work well.
If you can't get hold of Flake Bars, you can use a potato peeler to grate a bar of chocolate over the donuts. Or use ready made chocolate curls or sprinkles.
You will need a 12 hole donut tin (or two 6 hole donut tins) to make this recipe.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Chocolate Baked Donut Easter Nests

To start mix together caster sugar, milk, oil, and eggs in a mixing bowl or a large jug. In another mixing bowl, stir together self raising flour and cocoa powder.

Pour the egg and milk mixture into the flour mixture, and whisk everything together. Then divided the batter between the tins using a piping bag, jug or spoon.

Bake the donuts for 12 minutes, remove from the tin and leave to cool on a rack. Once they are cool, dip them in melted chocolate and decorate with crushed flake bars and Mini Eggs.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

Do you need a donut tin to make this recipe?

The simple answer is yes! I highly recommend investing in a donut tin (or two!), they are not expensive and they’re easy to obtain from Amazon, plus there are so many yummy baked donut recipes on my website that you’ll be able to make with them!

How long do baked donuts last for and can they be frozen?

Although baked donuts will last for a few days if stored in an airtight continer in a cool place, they are best the day they're made. You can freeze the donuts without any of the decoration. Wrap them up well, with a small square of baking paper between each donut, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Can you make the donuts with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can the donuts be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes, to make these donuts gluten free, replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. They can easily be made dairy free by using a plant based milk. Make sure to also grease the donut tins with a dairy free butter and decorate with dairy free chocolate. Please also check the labels of all the ingredients you use to avoid cross contamination, and especially if you are serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

How do you remove the donuts from the tin?

I use a spoon to gently loosen them around the edges and prise them out of the tin. If you are using a non stick tin and you have greased it well with butter, then they should just pop out with ease.

Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

No, I actually never use an electric mixer to make this recipe as it's so quick and easy to do by hand. The dry ingredients and wet ingredients can be quickly combined with a hand whisk, and it is better to do it this way to avoid over mixing. If you are using an electric mixer, keep it on a low speed and only mix for a short time.

More tips for making the Chocolate Baked Donut Easter Nests:

If you can't get hold of Flake Bar, you can use grated chocolate, chocolate curls or sprinkles to create the nest effect.
I used Cadbury Mini Eggs to decorate the donuts, you could use any small Easter chocolate eggs that you like.
I dipped the donuts in melted dark chocolate, if you prefer you can also dip them in melted milk or white chocolate.

Troubleshooting

My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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