Helen Goh’s Caramelized Cinnamon Doughnut Cake from her debut solo cookbook, Baking and the Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes, takes inspiration from the Moravian sugar cakes baked by early American settlers for festive gatherings. Goh’s version channels that tradition into something both nostalgic and modern, resulting in an irresistible hybrid of bread and cake that eats like a giant, tender doughnut.
The secret ingredient? Mashed russet potato. It gives the dough a soft, chewy texture and subtle richness, helping the yeasted base stay pillowy even after baking. Once risen and dimpled, the dough is blanketed with a buttery brown sugar–cinnamon topping that caramelizes in the oven, forming a crisp, crackly crust over the tender crumb beneath.
The scent of this cake baking fills the kitchen with spiced, buttery, and toasty aromas, calling everyone to the table. It’s a recipe that rewards patience, the dough developing a deeper flavor and a lovely texture during a long, cool rise overnight in the fridge, though it can also proof quickly for same-day baking if time is of the essence.
Serve the cake warm, straight from the pan, with coffee or tea for breakfast or as a cozy afternoon snack. Whether topped with a handful of nuts for crunch or drizzled with a simple glaze, this golden, caramelized beauty is a testament to the magic of yeast, butter, and sugar working in harmony.
What do mashed potatoes do to the texture of bread?
Adding mashed potato to bread dough creates an exceptionally tender, moist, and slightly chewy texture. The natural starches in the potato absorb and hold extra moisture, keeping the crumb soft for days after baking. Potatoes also add a subtle richness without heaviness, and their sugars encourage even browning and a delicate crust. The result is a dough that’s smooth and elastic to work with, yielding bread that feels plush and satisfying with every bite.
Get creative with the spices and nuts
This versatile doughnut cake welcomes plenty of flavor variations. Swap the cinnamon for warming spices like cardamom, nutmeg, or ginger to create a deeper, more aromatic topping. Toasted hazelnuts, almonds, or pistachios can replace the pecans or walnuts for different textures and flavors. For a festive variation, add a pinch of allspice or orange zest to the sugar mixture. Each combination enhances the caramelized topping while keeping the cake’s buttery, tender essence intact.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
- Cold milk helps instantly cool the potato water to the ideal yeast temperature (100°F to 110°F).
- Instant powdered potato flakes can be used to make the mashed potatoes for a quick substitute.
- The proofed dough needs to be at about 90°F when done proofing.
- Bread should be about 200°F when finished baking.
This recipe was developed by Helen Goh; the text was written by Breana Killeen.