Cake donut question

[Jpan99]

Does anyone know the difference in these two cake donut styles? I'm attaching a link to a pic to explain what I'm talking about. I'm used to the nice, plump cake donut on the bottom right. What makes the cake donut at the top of the picture split open? That's not something I see where I live.

http://www.ctdonut.com/Image/cake.gif

[mpjmph]

I grew up in Krispy Kreme territory, so I'm mostly used to yeast doughnuts. At some point the grocery stores here started selling cake doughnuts, and they were the split open kind. I only ever see them sold as cake or sour cream doughnuts. I really only see the other kid of cake doughnut at Dunkin' Donuts. I personally prefer the split/old fashioned/sour cream type, but they are generally sweeter and I'm a sugar fiend.

[Jpan99]

I found this site that explains different types of donuts. They too call the split ones old fashioned. But we also call the plain cake donut I'm used to as old fashioned as well.

Still would like a good explanation. Would love to know why they split open when fried!

http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2012/02...

[Big Bad Voodoo Lou]

I love the glazed, "split-open" cake donuts. They're often referred to as sour cream cake donuts or sour cream old-fashioned donuts, so I imagine the sour cream has something to do with it. Those are probably my favorite donuts of all.

[Pwmfan]

Here in MN, those donuts are sold as "old fashioned" donuts. Don't know why they are the way they are, though.

[Cinnamonster]

I'm not sure and just reporting back on my own searching through the internet.
The one that looks split open is sometimes referred to as an old-fashioned doughnut (however I've also seen that term applied to regular cake doughnuts as well).
The most significant difference I've seen is that old-fashioned doughnuts use buttermilk while other cake doughnuts might not. And another explanation is that the cracked edges originate from the side of the old-fashioned doughnut that hit the oil first.
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I can support or refute these.

[ttoommyy]

I see those a lot around here in the NYC area and always wondered about them myself. Thanks for asking about this, Jpan99. I look forward to seeing what people have to say.