Strawberry Buttercream Frosted Donuts (Printable)
Fluffy baked donuts with silky strawberry buttercream, a berry lover's dream treat.
# What You Need:
→ Donuts
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar (135 g)
03 - 2 tsp baking powder
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 2/3 cup whole milk (160 ml)
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (60 g)
08 - 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
→ Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (115 g)
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (240 g)
11 - 1/4 cup strawberry puree (60 g), from blended fresh or thawed frozen strawberries
12 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnish (optional)
14 - Fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
15 - Sprinkles
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 6-cavity donut pans generously and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, melted unsalted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the donuts light and tender.
05 - Spoon the batter into the prepared donut pans, filling each cavity approximately three-quarters full.
06 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly touched.
07 - Allow the donuts to rest in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
08 - Using an electric mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter on medium speed until creamy and pale, approximately 2 minutes.
09 - Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating on low speed until incorporated. Increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy.
10 - Add the strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes until the frosting is smooth, airy, and uniformly pink.
11 - Once the donuts are completely cool, spread or pipe the strawberry buttercream onto each donut. Top with thinly sliced fresh strawberries or sprinkles as desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Baking instead of frying means you get all the joy of a donut without the mess and splatter of hot oil.
- The strawberry buttercream tastes like summer in a swirl, and it pipes on like a dream.
02 -
- Frosting a donut that is even slightly warm will cause the buttercream to melt and slide right off, so patience is a real ingredient here.
- Overmixing the batter activates the gluten in the flour and turns your donuts dense and chewy instead of soft and cakey.
03 -
- A zip-top bag with the corner snipped off works just as well as a piping bag for filling donut cavities neatly.
- Freeze-dried strawberry powder stirred into the frosting is the single best upgrade for concentrated berry flavor without extra liquid.