Name: Chocolate Orange Baked Donuts
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 62 min
Ingredients: 200 g Self raising flour; 25 g Cocoa powder; 175 g Caster sugar; 30 ml Vegetable oil; 175 ml Milk (cow's or plant milk will both work); 2 Eggs (large); 1 tsp Orange extract (or the zest of 1 orange); Butter or baking spread (for greasing); 125 g Dark chocolate (chopped up); 100 ml Double cream; 15 g Butter; 1/2 tsp Orange extract; 50 g White chocolate (melted); Orange food colouring; 12 Terry's Chocolate Orange segments

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Baked donuts are so fun and easy to make, and these Chocolate Orange Baked Donuts are one of the yummiest flavour combinations! They feature a moist chocolate orange sponge, dipped in chocolate orange ganache, drizzled with orange coloured white chocolate and of course a piece of Terry's Chocolate Orange on top. They are fruity, sweet and so delicious!

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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 orange extract (it is sold in most supermarkets and online) you can use the zest of one orange in the donuts instead.
For the best results use a professional grade food colouring to colour the white chocolate. These types of food colouring provide excellent colour results, they are also easily available for purchase online. My favourite brands are Pro Gel and Sugarflair. Other good quality brands are Colour Mill and Americolor.
If you don't want to make the ganache, you can simply dip the donuts in melted dark or milk chocolate instead.
The donut batter is very wet, so I recommend using a piping bag or a jug to pour it into the tin.
You will need a 12 hole donut pan (or two 6 hole donut pans) to make this recipe. Check the recommend equipment section for a link to the one I use.
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 Orange Baked Donuts

In a mixing bowl, combine the self raising flour, caster sugar and cocoa powder. In a large jug or another mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, orange extract, and eggs. Then pour the wet mixture into the dry, and whisk to combine.

Put the batter into a jug or piping bag, and then divide the batter between the donut pan(s). Bake for 12 minutes, then remove them from the tin and leave them to cool on a rack.

Make the ganache by putting the dark chocolate, double cream and butter into a bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir, then microwaves in 10 second blasts, stirring between each one until the chocolate is fully melted. Then add the orange extract and stir it in. Dip the rounded side of the donuts into the ganache, then place on a rack or some baking paper to set. Drizzle on the orange coloured white chocolate while the ganache is still wet, then add a piece of Terry's chocolate orange on top of each donut. Plus some sprinkles if you like. Leave to set.

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!

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.

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 container in a cool place, they are best the day they're made. You can freeze the donuts, either decorated or not. Wrap them up well, with a small square of baking paper between each donut so they don't stick together, and freeze for up to 3 months.

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. Terry's Chocolate Orange is not fully gluten free as it is processed on shared equipment, therefore you may also need to swap this out for a gluten free alternative. The donuts 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. For the ganache, use dairy free alternatives. Please check the labels of everything you use if 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.

More tips for making the Chocolate Orange Baked Donuts:

If the ganache is too thick, you can add vegetable oil to loosen it.
If you don't want to make a ganache, you can dip the donuts in 250g of melted milk or dark chocolate.

Troubleshooting

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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