Jelly Doughnut Muffins are light and fluffy, easy to make, and the perfect sweet breakfast treat the whole family will love! Try today!
This is one of the most fun Muffin Recipes you’ll ever try! Where a light and fluffy Vanilla Cupcake is inspired by a jelly-filled donut. If you like this dessert mashup try my Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins, ideal for breakfast, brunch, or any special occasion.
Sabrina’s Jelly Doughnut Muffins Recipe
A jelly donut is such a classic breakfast treat. The soft, sweet pastry comes together perfectly for a flavor that’s comforting and nostalgic. This recipe captures those iconic qualities and bakes them into a delicious hybrid of muffin and cupcake, perfect for breakfast or dessert. They are perfectly spiced treats are baked in muffin tins, but they have the texture of a soft donut fresh from the bakery.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 cups sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups seedless raspberry jam , (about 12 ounces)
Donut Glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin tray with liner cups.
- To a stand mixer add the butter and sugar, cream until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in eggs, vanilla extract, and milk until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the stand mixer on the lowest speed setting until just combined.
- Using an ice cream scoop fill the cups 2/3 full and bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
- Cut out a 1 ½ inch wide circle about 1 inch deep.
- Fill with raspberry jam (trim the piece you cut out and add the cap back to the cupcake).
- To make glaze whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Dip the cupcake carefully upside down into the glaze, letting the excess drip off (if you're nervous about the cap falling out hold it in place with a toothpick pressed gently against it – not poking into it – then remove toothpick when glaze is done dripping off.
Nutrition
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Table of Contents
About this Recipe
Jelly Doughnut Cupcakes are always fun to serve because they’re an unexpected take on a classic recipe. After baking, you cut small holes, similar to doughnut holes, in the center of each cake to fill with jam. The raspberry filling adds a burst of refreshing flavor that’s a nice surprise added to a standard vanilla cake base. They’re a fun and versatile treat that’s perfect for a party or bake sale.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Mixing Batter: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can also add the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and use an electric hand mixer.
- Cooking time: To test if they’re done, stick a toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, you can take the cupcakes out.
- Filling: Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, cut a circle about 1 ½ inch wide and 1 inch deep into the top of each cake. Then spoon raspberry jam into each of the holes. You can leave the top open, like a doughnut hole. Or, trim the piece of the cupcake you cut out and just add the top back on as a little lid.
- Glaze: The glaze is the perfect donut crispy and shatter-y glaze you love. Be sure not to dip it and leave too thick of a glaze. Slightly translucent is best!
How to Store
- Serve: Stored in an airtight container at room temperature the cupcakes can stay good for 1-2 days.
- Store: You can also seal the cool cupcakes and put them in the fridge. They’ll keep well for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Frozen Jelly Doughnut Cupcakes are good for 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge and then leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Variations
- Icing: Instead of the simple powdered sugar topping, you can try making some vanilla icing to go over this cupcake recipe. To make a simple glaze similar to what you’d find on a doughnut, combine 2 cups icing sugar, ¼ cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisk the mixture together until smooth and creamy. If it’s too thick, add in more milk until you reach the right consistency.
- Cinnamon cupcakes: For some extra flavor in the cupcakes, whisk a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg into the cupcake batter. You can also replace the powdered sugar topping with cinnamon sugar to add to the warm, spiced flavor.
- Cake mix: To make this recipe a little quicker, you can use a yellow cake mix instead of making the batter from scratch. Two easy hacks to elevate the boxed cake mix are to use one more egg than the box instructions say and to replace the water with milk. This will make the boxed cake taste just as rich and moist as homemade vanilla cake.
- Fruit filling: You can try lots of different fresh fruit flavors in this recipe depending on what kind of jam you use. For a burst of strawberry try making our Strawberry Jam Recipe for a delicious filling. You could also use blueberry, blackberry, or grape jam. To change things up even more try a tangy Lemon Curd.
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Photos Used In Previous Posts
Can the muffins be filled with jam a day before then refrigerate or does it have to be done the day of consumption? I was wondering if it was done the day before if the muffins will get a bit too moist?
Yes, you can “make ahead”. Check out instructions on Storing/Freezing for tips.
These are so light & airy!! The creamy, jelly middle is the best part!! I am excited to make these with all flavors of jelly!!
WHAT!? These are the best things I have ever made! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
I used some homemade raspberry jam and they were amazing! I cut the icing in half and just drizzled it over the tops. That was sweet enough for us. 🙂