You won't regret making these Homemade Baked Chocolate Donuts! They are soft, moist, and topped with a silky chocolate ganache. Make them for an easy breakfast treat to enjoy with the family, friends, or just keep them all to yourself!
Adjust the oven rack to the 2nd level mark (just above center) and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Generously coat 2 donut pans with a flour-based baking spray. Set aside.
Using a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, and granulated sugar. Add in the egg, vegetable oil, boiling water, milk, vanilla extract, and mix together until just combined. The batter will be on the thin, runny side.
½ cup All-Purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder, 3 tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, ½ cup Granulated Sugar, 1 Large Egg, ¼ cup Vegetable Oil, ¼ cup Boiling Water, ¼ cup Milk, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ⅛ teaspoon Salt
Fill eat donut cavity about ¾ of the way full, or 3 times around. You can fill them using either a glass measuring cup or a large piping bag (no piping tip needed—just snip the tip of the bag off when ready to use).
Place the 2 donut pans side-by-side in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350ºF. When done, the donuts should spring back when you gently press on them. Allow them to slightly cool in the pans for about 5 minutes before removing them carefully inverting them onto a wire cooling rack. The donuts should be cooled completely before topping with the chocolate ganache.
chocolate ganache topping
Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips into a medium size bowl. Set aside.
⅔ cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Using a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, heat the heavy whipping cream for 45 seconds. Pour it over the chocolate chips, then cover loosely with aluminum foil for 1-2 minutes.
¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Remove the cover, then add in the vanilla extract, and stir until completely melted and smooth. Use a small spatula to smoosh any stubborn chocolate chips that may not want to melt fully. If the ganache seems too thin for your liking, you can add in a few more chocolate chips. Likewise, if you find the ganache to be too thick, you can add a small amount of heated heavy cream to the mixture to get your desired consistency.
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Once smooth, dip each cooled baked chocolate donut into the ganache, gently swirl it around, then carefully lift up and place onto a cooling rack. I recommend placing the cooling rack over a few paper towels to catch any chocolate ganache that may drip off.
Donuts will keep at room temp in an airtight container for up to 3 days.