LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Wandering Donut has graced parking lots in the Hill City for six years now. This past March, 19-year-old Ethan Dupin took on the reigns and hasn’t looked back. So, we hopped on board to see what all the hype is about!
We met Elijah during our stop at the truck. He and his family were visiting from Las Vegas when they decided to give The Wandering Donut a try. He ordered a glazed donut, made note of how big it was and modestly approved by saying, “It’s pretty good.”
This mobile donut truck has gained popularity over the years as, “One of the top donuts in Lynchburg right now.”
That’s according to (fairly) new owner, Ethan Dupin. He’s proven that dedication translates to taste. “I got here around 1:30 this morning, so you can guarantee these are fresh every single morning.”
This team constantly stays busy by cranking out an average of 100 to 130 donuts a day. They need to in order to keep up with the line out back each day. We wondered why they stay so busy. Dupin says it all comes down to what Elijah pointed out in the very beginning. “The size of the donut and then just how we cook it. There’s a secret recipe. I can’t tell you. But yeah, it’s a very delicious donut and we try to make it happen every day.”
While we can’t necessarily get the recipe, Dupin was kind enough to show us the process. It all starts by mixing the dough. Once that’s done, it’s thrown into a cabinet to proof. It goes through a sheeter. Then, it proofs again before getting thrown into the fryer. Finally, Dupin tells us, “We’ll either glaze it or dress it with chocolate, powder, cinnamon sugar and then we have a bunch of other fun flavors.”
During our visit, the team was slinging glazed and blueberry donuts left and right and selling out within three hours. The fun flavors are something else, though! Maple bacon and blueberry lemon are the most popular, according to Dupin. During the summer, they add flavors like peanut butter, chocolate coconut and vanilla coconut.
Flavors alternate by the week, so be sure to check this link to see what’s coming out of the fryer, along with where they’ll be parked. Make sure you get there quick, though, because they usually sell out before lunchtime.
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