A Southern California doughnut store worker was left baffled with a baby on her hands when a mother left her little girl behind in search of a doughnut.

Looking for a specific sweet treat, a woman took her 5-month-old baby and cousin to Golden Donuts in National City Wednesday morning.

But when they learned the shop didn’t have the right doughnut, the adults walked out empty handed — too empty handed.

Left behind, sitting on a table in her car seat, was the infant, National City police said.

“I thought she took the baby,” said the store employee. “And then a customer told me, ‘Oh the baby on the table.’ And then I look around. She was already gone.”

As the mother continued her quest at Yum Yum Donuts in Spring Valley, the employee called 911.

The parent realized she was down a baby once she reached the second shop, and she immediately called Golden Donuts to make sure her kid was OK.

When the two rushed back, police reunited the woman with her infant. The mother told officers she and her cousin got confused about who was watching the baby at the first store.

Police say the mother was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. She was not arrested or cited.