Obsessed Cakes
Cake Batter Donut Loaf
A soft cake batter donut loaf with vanilla streusel, rainbow sprinkles, and a glossy vanilla glaze.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Bake
- 45-90 min
- Total
- 1 hr 45 min
- Yield
- One 9x5-inch loaf
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Ingredients
Vanilla Streusel
- 73 g (about 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons) all-purpose flour
- 50 g (about 1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 54 g (about 3 tablespoons + 2 1/2 teaspoons) cold butter, cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Loaf
- 260 g (about 2 cups + 3 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
- 15 g (about 2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon) cornstarch
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 220 g (about 1 cup + 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- 120 g (about 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons) neutral oil
- 200 g (about 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) plain unsweetened yogurt
- 135 g (about 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon cake batter extract
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 45 g (about 3 tablespoons + 2 1/4 teaspoons) rainbow sprinkles
Vanilla Glaze
- 250 g (about 2 cups + 1 tablespoon) powdered sugar, sifted
- 60 g (about 1/4 cup) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Pinch fine sea salt
Before Baking
- Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling
Pan used
I personally prefer a light-colored aluminum pan for these loaves. Here is the one I use. Not sponsored. I don't earn a commission from this link.
Glass holds heat longer, so the edges can overbake before the center is done. If you use glass, loosely tent the loaf with foil early, as soon as the top starts to brown. The foil helps protect the top, but it does not stop the sides or bottom from baking too quickly.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and fully line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Make the streusel. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter and vanilla bean paste. Work the mixture together until crumbly with a mix of small crumbs and larger clusters. Refrigerate while preparing the batter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, oil, yogurt, milk, vanilla bean paste, cake batter extract, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
- Add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk just until combined and no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the sprinkles just until evenly distributed.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. The batter should fill the pan just over halfway full.
- Sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly over the batter, leaving some larger clusters intact.
- Sprinkle the top lightly and evenly with coarse sanding sugar just before baking.
- Bake for 45-90 minutes. Tent the loaf loosely with foil once the top is set if it begins browning before the center is ready.
- 10
Before you take the loaf out
Baking time is a guide, not a deadline.
Check the center: Insert a skewer or toothpick into the cake in the center, avoiding the streusel layer.
Ready to come out: The dome is set, the streusel is crisp, and the tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs. No wet batter.
Keep baking: Thick, paste-like batter: bake 3-5 minutes more. Wet batter: bake 7-10 minutes more. Then test the center again.
The 205-210°F (96-99°C) range is an extra check. Batter on the tester still means keep baking, even at that temperature.
An underbaked center can collapse as the loaf cools.
- Cool in the pan for 25-30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Let the loaf cool until warm but no longer hot.
- Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla bean paste, and salt until smooth and pourable.
- Once the loaf is warm but no longer hot, drizzle the glaze evenly over the streusel. Allow the glaze to set before slicing.