These Happy Birthday Donuts are rich chocolate donuts loaded with chocolate chips and topped with a raspberry frosting and rainbow sprinkles. They're a party in donut form! They're also so simple to make, no mixer is used at all! The batter comes together with just a whisk in less than one hour! If that wasn't enough, they're gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be dairy free (vegan).
These Happy Birthday Donuts could not be more fun! They’re soft, rich and decadent but also sweet! My daughter had the idea for these and I think she made an amazing combo! For more birthday treat ideas, try my Birthday Muffins and my Birthday Cookie!
For more donut recipes, check out my Cinnamon Sugar Donuts, my Baked Chocolate Donuts and my Red Velvet Donuts.
Reasons to Love these Chocolate Cake Donuts
- Allergy Friendly- These donuts are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Fluffy- The donuts are super soft, decadent and delicious.
- Double Chocolate- The donuts have a chocolate base loaded with chocolate chips.
- Raspberry Frosting- Gives the donuts a lovely sweetness. Not into raspberry? No problem! Try them with my Funfetti Frosting!
- Easy to Make- The batter mixes up with a whisk; no mixer is used at all!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you have nut allergies, use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Cocoa Powders- I love using two types to give the donuts a dark color and stronger flavor, but if you only want to use one, use Dutch or Natural Unsweetened. Do not only use Dark alone as the donuts will be too dry and bitter.
- Cornstarch and Water- These are eggless donuts so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Light Brown Sugar- Using light brown sugar gives the donuts the softness we need to offset the dryness from the cocoa powders and lack of eggs.
- White Vinegar- Used with the baking soda to help the donuts rise.
- Vegetable Oil- These donuts use oil, so they stay moist longer.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
- Vanilla- Make sure to only use pure vanilla extract otherwise the donuts and frosting can have a chemical flavor.
- Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- Only use room temperature butter in the frosting. If using vegan butter, make sure it's on the cold side versus room temperature. Also, use vegan baking sticks instead of vegan butter from a tub.
- Water- This frosting uses room temperature water instead of milk! Add it in slowly; you may not need it all.
- Raspberries- This frosting uses frozen raspberries to give it that pink hue and added sweetness! No need to defrost them!
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these into Vegan Donuts
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Only use vegan baking stick, not butter.
- Get a non-dairy milk of your choosing.
- Make sure the chocolate chips you use are allergy safe and vegan.
- Read the label on your sprinkles to make sure they’re gluten free, nut free and vegan.
For Regular All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ¾ cups of packed AP Flour (294 grams).
- Use ⅔ cup packed cocoa powder (77.2 grams).
- Only use ¾ cup of milk (177.4 ml).
This recipe has not been tested with some of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Happy Birthday Donuts
Here are the step by step instructions to make these chocolate cake donuts!
Step 1: Whisk Together all the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, sift together the gluten free flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and the light brown sugar. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Step 2: Make The Cornstarch Water
In a medium bowl, using a spoon, mix together your cornstarch and water until there are no lumps and it is smooth. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 3: Add in the Milk, Vanilla & Vinegar
Once the cornstarch water is combined, whisk in the milk, vanilla and vinegar.
Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients Into the Dry and Add Chocolate Chips
Slowly pour the wet ingredients and vegetable oil into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
Then using the spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 5: Fill the Donut Pans
Then, put the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the greased donut pans and fill ¾ of the way to the top.
Smooth the batter with a tiny knife or the back of a small spoon.
You can also spoon the batter into the donut pans.
Step 6: Bake and Cool
Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. The donuts should be risen and spring back when gently touched.
Note: If you gently poke the donuts and a dent forms, they're not done baking. You can also insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.
Let the donuts cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes before taking them out onto a cooling rack and then let them cool completely.
Step 7: Make The Raspberry Frosting
In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the butter until smooth; about 2 minutes.
With the mixer on very low speed, slowly add in the confectioners' sugar, salt, vanilla and 12 frozen raspberries. Then beat until the raspberries break apart and everything is combined.
Then slowly add in the water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need all the water.
Once all combined, the frosting will turn pink and there will be flecks of raspberries; that's normal.
Step 8: Frost The Donuts and Add Sprinkles and Mini Chocolate Chips
Lastly, using an icing spatula or a butter knife, frost the tops of the donuts.
Immediately after frosting a donut, scatter the sprinkles and mini chips over the top so they stick.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups o flour, however when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. For this recipe use packed cups or please read the gram amount.
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powder- The 2 types of cocoa powders give the donuts their dark hue. Although, if you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know their color will not be as dark as mine. Please do not use dark alone; it will make your donuts too chalky, dry and bitter. And like the flour, use packed cups of cocoa powder or read the gram amount.
- Smoothing The Batter- Many gluten free flour batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked. If you leave it misshapen after put it into the donut pans, that’s how they will remain when baked. When the batter is in the donut pans, gently smooth the top with a butter knife or the back or a small spoon.
- Pipe The Batter- You could use a spoon to put the batter in the greased donut pans but it is much easier to pipe the batter in. No piping bag? No worries! Simply put all the batter in a gallon size zip top bag and snip off a corner. Pipe the batter into the donut wells and fill almost to the top of each well.
- Making The Frosting- If the frosting is too liquidy, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. It should be thick enough to stay put on the donuts and not run off. If the frosting appears too thick, add a little water ¼ teaspoon at a time. Make sure your butter isn't too soft. It should be room temperature, not softened. If you're using vegan butter, make sure it is on the colder side.
Recipe FAQs
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day; you can make these donuts the night before without the frosting but they truly are best the same day.
If making the night before, keep the donuts in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to add the frosting.
Yes! You can make the frosting the night before. Store it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.
When ready to use, rewhip to get that creamy consistency.
I would only use frozen. They are much more wet as they defrost and have higher water content, which helps make our frosting that gorgeous pink.
Storing: Store the donuts in an airtight container or individually wrap each donut in aluminum foil for up to 2 days in the fridge. Try to create a teepee with the top of the foil so it isn't touching the top of the frosting as much.
Let each donut come to room temperature prior to serving.
Freezing: Once the frosting on the donuts has hardened a little (you may need to pop them in the fridge), individually wrap each donut in aluminum foil. Pop them in a zip top bag and freeze the donuts for up to 30 days.
To defrost, put the donuts in the fridge the night before or leave them out on the counter for 2 hours prior to eating or until the donuts are room temperature and soft.
More Raspberry Desserts You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Happy Birthday Donuts
Ingredients
For The Donuts
- 1 ¾ cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder (I use ⅓ natural unsweetened and ⅓ dark)
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar , packed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 rounded tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons of water
- 1 cup milk , at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
For The Raspberry Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 12 raspberries , frozen
- 2 ½ tablespoons water , room temperature
- 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles , for decorating
- 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips , for decorating
Instructions
For The Chocolate Baked Donuts
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 donut pan wells with vegetable oil. Set aside.If you don’t have two pans you’ll have to cook the donuts in multiple batches.
- In a large bowl, sift together the 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour, ⅔ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar. Then use a whisk to combine and set aside. If you don’t sift, you’ll get large clumps of brown sugar which is fine if that doesn’t bother you.
- In a medium bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 4 rounded tablespoons cornstarch and 6 tablespoons water until there are no lumps and it is smooth. It will be thick and tacky at first. Once combined, whisk in the 1 cup milk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons white vinegar.
- Add the wet ingredients and the ½ cup vegetable oil into the dry ingredients. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
- Using a spatula, fold in the 1 cup chocolate chips.
- Next scoop the batter into a pastry bag or a (zip top bag and cut a corner off) and pipe into the donut pans, filling them about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. The donuts should be risen and spring back at you when gently touched.Note: If you gently poke the donuts and a dent forms, they're not done baking. You can also insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.
- Let the donuts cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes before taking them out. If you try to take them out too soon, they will stick and break apart into a giant mess. Once 5 minutes is up, use a small spatula to loosen them from the pan and cool completely on a cooling rack.
For The Raspberry Frosting
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the ½ cup unsalted butter until smooth; about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on very low speed, slowly add in the 4 cups confectioners' sugar, 1 pinch kosher salt, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 12 frozen raspberries. Then beat until the raspberries break apart and everything is combined.
- Then slowly add in the 2.5 tablespoons water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need all the water.Once all combined, the frosting will turn pink and there will be flecks of raspberries; that's normal.
- Lastly, using an icing spatula or a butter knife, frost the tops of the donuts.Immediately after frosting a donut, scatter the sprinkles and mini chips over the top so they stick.
Alison says
Could I use frozen strawberries instead of raspberries for the frosting?
Lee says
Hi Alison! I actually have a strawberry frosting recipe! Just click it here!
Valerie Taylor Shannon says
They look just like her picture shows! Delicious!
Lee says
Thank you, Valerie!!!
Jessica says
Amazing! I made the recipe exactly as printed and the doughnuts came out perfect for my son's birthday. So nice to find gluten free recipes that actually work and taste fantastic!
Lee says
Thank you!!!! SO glad!!!
Steve says
My wife’s birthday is coming up soon. Might have to surprise her with this delicious treat!
Laura G. says
Have you tried these with regular flour? Would I leave out the cornstarch in that case?
Lee says
Hi Laura! If using regular flour, lessen the amount of milk to 2/3 instead of 1 cup. Leave the cornstarch water mixture in! Sadly due to my daughter's celiac I can't test it but I did make this recipe years ago prior to her diagnosis with regular flour. Hope that helps!
Donna says
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Mouth watering and looks so pretty
Lee says
Thank you!!!
Steve says
Your daughter is so smart! These are delicious!
John says
These donuts are so delicious! Made a very happy birthday!