Buckeye Mini Cakes

These Buckeye Mini Cakes are so sneaky!

They are soft bake donuts that get glazed in chocolate then filled with a creamy peanut butter center.

This is the time of year when I start to think about Christmas cookies. I start asking the family which cookies should make our cookie tray and which ones we should skip. Every year Buckeyes top the list of must make Christmas treats and with good reason. Peanut butter and chocolate are a solid combination, Buckeye balls do a great job of combining the two.

The only problem I have with making buckeyes is the time commitment. It takes a significant amount of time to mix, roll, chill and dip each buckeye ball. Which is precisely why I’m constantly trying to come up with easy sweets that look and taste just like a buckeye ball but are made are made in half the time!

I’ve come up with some pretty good substitutions. These buckeye brownie cookies have been a HUGE hit as were these buckeye cupcakes. Last year I was seriously crushing on these buckeye marshmallow pops because they were so insanely easy and then a few years ago I could be seen munching on these chocolate cookies. and these No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars! This year might my favorite imitation buckeye treat.

This year I had the genius idea of making baked chocolate donuts, turning them upside down and covering them in a simple chocolate glaze. Each donut center is filled with a super creamy peanut butter filling. This dessert is all my favorites all rolled into one! I get donuts, chocolate, chocolate cake, peanut butter frosting and Buckeyes in each of these mini cakes!

Watch How To Make Buckeye Mini Cakes:

Tips and tricks:

Most donut recipes require you to fill each cavity of your donut pan 2/3 full. This recipe is an exception. You will fill each cavity about 3/4 full. The batter will spill over the center. Once baked, this center will cradle your peanut butter filling.

For the glaze: I used Ghirdelli melting wafers. They melt in the microwave, harden quickly and easily and have a nice, silky finish.

As you prepare your filling, carefully add in the cream one tablespoon at a time. Keep adding the cream until your filling is a good, piping consistency. You can place your filling in a ziptop back, snip the corner and swirl your filling into the center of the donut.

Dust each cake with a littel powdered sugar just before serving. This is not necessary for the flavor, it just makes them fancier.

Continue to Content

Yield: 1 dozen

Buckeye Mini Cakes

Print

Chocolate donuts are covered in a silky chocolate glaze and then filled with a creamy peanut butter filling!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup cake flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 10oz package Ghirardelli melting wafers
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 donut pans ( or bake in batches) with non stick spray and set aside.
2. In a bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, salt and baking powder.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs. Add wet ingredients to try ingredients. Stir in espresso powder, vanilla and vegetable oil. Stirring just until combined.
4. Pour donut batter into a large tiptop bag. Snip one corner and carefully each donut cavity 3/4 of the way full. Bake donuts for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5. Allow donuts to sit in pan for 1 minute; carefully run out donuts onto a cooling rack. Cool donuts completely.
6. Melt chocolate wafers according to package directions. Dip the bottoms of each donut into the chocolate to just coat the top, allow excess to drip off and place donuts, dipped side up on a baking rack to allow the chocolate to set.
7. Prepare the frosint by creaming butter and peanut butter together in a bowl. Slowly beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add salt. Add enough heavy cream to frosting until a piping consistency is achieved ( you want the frosting stiff enough to stand on it's own). Pipe frosting into the center of each donut.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 512Total Fat 25gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 49mgSodium 285mgCarbohydrates 66gFiber 4gSugar 46gProtein 8g

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