cake donut - overhead shot of high-protein pb&j cake donuts (2 on a plate, the rest on a wire rack) — Makes: *10 Servings*
Per Serving: *10g Protein | 190 Cal*

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If you love the nostalgic flavor of peanut butter and jelly, these Easy PB&J Baked Protein Cake Donuts are about to become one of your new favorite treats. They’re soft, lightly sweet, packed with peanut butter flavor, and topped with a glossy berry jam glaze that feels just a little bit special. Even better? These cake donuts are baked instead of fried, making them simple enough for a weekday baking project.

What I love most about this recipe is how satisfying these donuts are. Each one has a soft, cake-like crumb thanks to the mix of flour and protein powder, and the peanut butter and jam topping adds just the right amount of sweetness and texture. They’re comforting and nostalgic, but still balanced enough to enjoy anytime.

These homemade donuts are also surprisingly easy to make. The donut batter comes together in one bowl for the dry ingredients and one bowl for the wet ingredients, then everything gets mixed together and piped into a donut pan. After a quick bake in the oven, the donuts are ready to be glazed and topped with crushed peanuts for a little crunch.

Let’s get into it.

Why You’ll Love This PB&J Cake Donut Recipe

There’s a lot to love about these baked donuts. Here are a few reasons I keep coming back to this recipe:

High in protein: Each donut has up to 10 grams of protein, making it a satisfying snack or breakfast treat.
Baked instead of fried: Unlike regular donuts that require hot oil or a deep fryer, these cake doughnuts bake right in a donut pan for a simpler process.
Classic PB&J flavor: Peanut butter glaze, berry jam, and crushed peanuts give these donuts that nostalgic peanut butter and jelly flavor.
Simple ingredients: Everything in this recipe can easily be found at a well-stocked grocery store.
Perfect for meal prep: These donuts store well for a few days, making them great for quick snacks during the week.

cake donut - two pb&j cake donuts on a plate in the foreground, more donuts on a wire rack in the background

What Makes Cake Donuts Different?

If you’ve ever wondered what sets cake donuts apart from yeast donuts, the answer comes down to how the dough is made.

Cake donuts rely on chemical leaveners like baking powder instead of yeast. That means there’s no waiting for dough to rise, and the donuts have a soft, tender, cake-like texture instead of the airy structure of a yeast doughnut.

In this recipe, the combination of flour, whey protein, and casein protein creates a batter that bakes up soft and fluffy while still holding its shape. The result is a donut that’s rich, tender, and incredibly satisfying.

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
30g whey protein (use 45g for a slightly denser donut)
15g casein protein
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2½ tablespoons PB2 powdered peanut butter

1 large egg
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon melted butter or oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

Jam Glaze

½ cup berry preserves or jam
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Peanut Butter Glaze

6 tablespoons PB2
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
Dash of salt

Topping

½ cup crushed peanuts

Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a donut pan to prevent sticking.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, whey protein, casein protein, baking powder, salt, and PB2 until fully combined.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup (or honey), melted butter or oil, vanilla extract, and natural peanut butter until smooth.
Make the donut batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Try not to overmix. The batter should be thick but still pipeable.
Fill the donut pan: Transfer the batter into a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner cut off. Pipe the batter into the donut pan cavities, filling each about ¾ full.
Bake the protein cake donuts: Bake for 10–14 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched.
Allow donuts to cool: Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before glazing. I like to showcase them resting on a cooling rack so the glaze can drip naturally and set beautifully.

Make the Jam Glaze

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the berry preserves and powdered sugar.
Microwave for 30–60 seconds, until the mixture loosens slightly.
Stir until smooth and glossy.
Let the glaze cool slightly so it thickens before dipping the donuts.

Make the Peanut Butter Glaze

In a bowl, whisk together PB2, powdered sugar, milk, natural peanut butter, and a dash of salt.
Mix until the glaze is completely smooth and creamy.

Assemble the Donuts

Glaze with peanut butter glaze: Once the donuts are fully cooled, spoon the peanut butter glaze over the top of each donut.
Glaze with jam glaze: Immediately dip the glazed donuts into the jam glaze so the berry layer coats the top.
Top with peanuts: Place the donuts back on a cooling rack. Sprinkle crushed peanuts on top while the glaze is still tacky so they stick.
Let the glaze set: Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Nutrition Information (Per Donut - Makes 10 Donuts)

With jam glaze + peanuts

Calories: 160
Protein: 8g
Carbs: 18g
Fat: 6g

With jam glaze + peanut butter glaze + crushed peanuts

Calories: 190
Protein: 10g
Carbs: 21g
Fat: 7g

Tips for the Best Cake Donuts

Don’t overmix the batter: Overmixing can make cake donuts dense instead of soft and tender.
Use a pastry bag: Piping the batter into the donut pan keeps things neat and helps the donuts bake evenly. If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can transfer the batter to a zipper-topped baggie (like a Ziploc) and snip off one corner to use as a makeshift pastry bag.
Let the donuts cool completely: If the donuts are warm, the glaze will melt and slide off instead of setting nicely.

Storage Tips

Place the donuts in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.
When you’re ready to enjoy one, you can let it come to room temperature or warm it slightly in the microwave.

cake donut - overhead photo of pb&j cake donuts

FAQs

Yes, you can, but the texture and nutrition will be a little different. The protein powder helps give these cake donuts structure and boosts the protein content. If you’d like to skip it, you can replace the protein powder with additional all-purpose flour. Just keep in mind the donuts will be a bit lighter and won’t have as much protein.
A donut pan really is the easiest way to get that classic cake donut shape and ensure the donuts bake evenly. Without one, the batter will spread more and won’t hold the ring shape as well.
If you don’t have a donut pan, you can bake the batter in a mini muffin pan instead to make donut holes.
Absolutely. Strawberry, raspberry, or mixed berry jam all work really well and keep that classic peanut butter and jelly flavor. If you want to change things up a little, blackberry or cherry preserves are also delicious options.
Yes! A piping bag just makes filling the donut pan a little easier and neater. If you don’t have one, you can simply spoon the batter into the donut cavities and gently spread it into a ring shape with the back of a spoon or a butter knife.
Cake donuts can turn out dense if the batter is overmixed. Once the wet ingredients and dry ingredients are combined, stir just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing can develop too much gluten and make the donuts heavier instead of soft and tender.
Another thing to check is your baking powder. If it’s old, it may not give the donuts enough lift.
Yes, this batter works great for donut holes. Just spoon the batter into a mini muffin pan, filling each cavity about three-quarters full. Because they’re smaller, they’ll usually bake a little faster than full-size donuts.
Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2–3 days. For the best texture, let them come to room temperature before eating, or warm them slightly in the microwave.

These PB&J baked protein cake donuts are soft, flavorful, and just the right balance of nostalgic and satisfying. I love how the peanut butter glaze and jam topping come together for that classic PB&J flavor, with a little crunch from the peanuts on top.

They’re simple enough to make on a weeknight, great for prepping snacks ahead of time, and such a fun twist on a classic cake donut. If you love peanut butter and jelly like I do, I have a feeling these might become one of your new favorites.