Baked Red Velvet {Heart Shaped} Donuts

Happy Valentine's Day! Today I'm sharing with my family and friends these amazing baked (cake) red velvet donuts that are in the shape of hearts! These are a perfect Valentine's morning breakfast treat. I mean who doesn't like cake for breakfast? 

I'm well aware that all things red velvet are cliche for Valentine's Day, and the heart pan may have just brought these donuts over the top, but its all in the name of love and the holiday! 

When I first spotted this recipe from Taste & Tell blog during her week of Red Velvet madness I knew I had to make these, and then as I browsed through the aisles of Target I spotted the heart shape donut pan and knew it was meant to be. I also knew my husband was not going to be happy with me bringing home another baking dish. Hence another reason why I knew I need to make red velvet flavored donuts. It's his favorite cake flavor.

I added a little red food coloring to the frosting to give it an additional Valentine's feel, but if you feel like you've already consumed enough food coloring in the cake you can omit the food coloring in the frosting. These look like donuts but taste like red velvet cake and the glaze suits for a perfect "frosting". 

Source: Taste & Tell Blog
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes (each batch of donuts)
Servings: 18 Donuts


Ingredients for Cake Donuts:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp red food coloring

Directions for Cake Donuts:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Spray a donut pan with cooking spray. Melt the butter and chocolate in intervals in the microwave and in separate bowls.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In another bowl, mix together the sugar and egg. Add the melted butter and melted chocolate to the egg-sugar mixture.  Add the vanilla, buttermilk, and red food coloring.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.  Fill the donut pan with the batter, filling each about 1/3 full if using heart pan. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.

Ingredients for Cake Donuts:

4 tbsp hot water

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 tbsp half & half

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 drops red food coloring

Directions for Vanilla Glaze: 

1. In small bowl, stir together all ingredients until sugar is completely dissolved. Use immediately to glaze the donuts; dipping the tops of each donut in the glaze. Then let the glaze harden on a wire rack. *If the glaze starts to harden you can add more hot water.