Jelly Doughnut Muffins are easy-to-make, moist, yellow cakes filled with sweet raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar.
This is one of the most fun Dessert Recipes you’ll ever try! Part muffin, part cupcake, it takes the idea of a jelly-filled donut and bakes it into a light and fluffy Vanilla Cupcake.
JELLY DOUGHNUT MUFFINS
A jelly donut is such a classic breakfast treat. The soft dough, raspberry jam filling, and powdered sugar topping just blend together perfectly for a pastry that’s sweet, buttery, and a little bit tangy from the fruit. This recipe takes those iconic flavors and bakes them into recipe that is a hybrid of muffin and cupcake, perfect for breakfast or dessert.
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.
If you like the sound of these donut-inspired cupcakes, you have to try our recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins. They’re the perfect breakfast or brunch for a special occasion. The perfectly spiced treats are baked in muffin tins, but they have the texture of a soft donut fresh from the bakery.
MORE CUPCAKE RECIPES
Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
Valentine’s Day Cupcakes
Rich Chocolate Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
TIPS FOR MAKING JELLY DOUGHNUT MUFFINS
- Prep time: To get this recipe started, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and put paper liners in a 12 cup muffin tin.
- Cupcake batter: Add the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar to your stand mixer, and beat them together until light and fluffy. 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. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk. Mix with the electric mixer for about 30 seconds until you have a smooth batter. Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Then add the flour mixture to the dough and mix the dry ingredients at the lowest speed until just combined.
- Cooking time: Use an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full with vanilla batter. Put them in the preheated oven to bake for 20-22 minutes. 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!
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VARIATIONS ON JELLY DOUGHNUT MUFFINS
- 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.
MORE FUN DESSERT RECIPES
Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie
Birthday Cake Pie
Fruity Pebbles Treats
Cosmic Brownies
HOW TO STORE JELLY DOUGHNUT CUPCAKES
- 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.
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 and 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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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. 🙂