The fudge doughnut has been on everyone’s lips – literally and figuratively – this past week.
Perth dad Gordon McCabe went viral with his Twitter thread claiming to have found the Fair City’s best fudge doughnut last week.
Crowning Bayne’s “handsome, symmetrical, Zac Efron, prom king of the fudge doughnut world” the winner sparked debate.
Fisher & Donaldson’s team even wrote a Facebook post to let all their fans know they were “feeling the love”.
Since Gordon told The Courier he was stepping down from food critiques, we’ve decided to pick up the baton.
Food & drink journalist Maria Gran headed around Dundee city centre to pick up doughnuts to test with environment and transport journalist Joanna Bremner.
What is the best fudge doughnut in Dundee?
Our test subjects were fudge doughnuts from Bayne’s, Greggs, Fisher & Donaldson and Clark’s.
The first three were included in Gordon’s original review, as well as Murray’s and Stephen’s.
We couldn’t get the last two, so they were substituted with Dundee’s favourite bakery Clark’s.
Bayne’s fudge doughnut
This doughnut truly is a stunner. Beautifully round and smooth, this fudge has a “great complexion” as Joanna put it.
At £1.20, this huge treat is great value for money with a good amount of filling inside.
The bakery offers both cream and custard-filled doughnuts, and we opted for the latter.
The filling pairs well with the sweet fudge, leaving both our reviewers impressed.
Rating
Joanna: 3.75/5
Maria: 4/5
Greggs fudge doughnut
Strictly speaking, Greggs calls this a “caramel custard doughnut”, but if it’s good enough for Gordon it’s good enough for us.
Despite the nice chocolate drizzle on top, this doughnut’s appearance was slightly damaged by the fact that a lot of the topping had stuck to the bag.
Though it’s the inside that truly matters, so we gladly tucked in regardless.
Greggs’ doughnut is also £1.20, though smaller than Bayne’s. The custard is runnier, meaning it oozes out more easily.
We had nothing spectacular, but also nothing bad to say about this one. It’s a completely average, fine, treat.
Rating
Joanna: 2.5/5
Maria: 2.5/5
Fisher & Donaldson fudge doughnut
We had high expectations for the local favourite. While Maria’s had this – several times – before, it was St Andrews graduate Joanna’s first. Four years in Fife and no fudge doughnut…
After her first bite, Joanna had a new favourite. This absolute classic is loaded with filling, oozing out as you bite into it. It’s a bit pricier at £1.75, but it’s worth every penny.
It’s a messy eat, but oh so good. The creamy filling and the sweet fudge topping are simply perfect, it’s only downfall is that you’ll end up with this all over your hands.
Rating
Joanna: 4.5/5
Maria: 4.5/5
Clark’s fudge doughnut
We saved Dundee’s local contender until last, which was a bit of a mistake.
At £2.10(!) this is by far the most expensive doughnut, and while it’s large that’s pretty much all it has going for it.
The chocolate drizzle on top is a nice touch, but it doesn’t make up for the tiny amount of custard on the inside.
It’s a dense doughnut, and Joanna’s half has gone soggy with grease. Neither of us were very impressed with the iconic bakery’s offer.
Rating
Joanna: 1/5
Maria: 1.5/5
The verdict
There’s a clear winner for us, and it’s Fisher & Donaldson.
The Fife bakery’s fudge doughnut is iconic and for good reason.
While it’s not perfectly symmetrical and smooth like Bayne’s Zac Efron bake, what does that matter when the taste is incredible.
