Donuts – Uniquely Delicious
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Doughnuts or donuts? Although ‘doughnut’ is the proper spelling, ‘donut’ is the Americanized version of the word
Thought to be brought by the Dutch settlers to New England in the early 1800’s, donuts were immediately popular and have been ever since.
Cake Donuts vs. Fried Donuts
For most, the donuts that you are probably most familiar with is the yeast-based donut. In this version, the dough rises, then is cut out with a special ring-shaped cutter that leaves a hole in the middle. It is then fried in hot fat and kissed with a confectioners’ sugar glaze.
Cake donuts are just that – a cake-like batter cooked in a special pan and baked, then frosted or glazed.
It’s funny, the hole that is left in the center of the pastry and the little ball of dough itself are BOTH called donut holes.
Popularity of Donuts
Donuts have been popular since they hit the shores of America, and they remain wildly popular today. Look at the crazy crowd at Krispy Kreme and the line wrapped around the corner when that “Hot” light is on! There is even an “app for that”!
And Duncan Donuts has been on the scene for such a long time. They are known for their donuts AND their coffee.
Cakes of Eden – Dippin’ Donutz
When I saw Cakes of Eden’s products, I knew it was Time to Make the Donuts!
Remember this guy from the ’80’s?
(Image property of Dunkin’ Donuts)
The Cakes of Eden brand have a great kit that includes a SILICONE donut pan for easy release, a cooling rack, two silicone icing bowls for easy frosting, two icing ‘pens” for elevated decoration and a really cool mixing bottle.
The mixing bottle has a stainless steel wire ball that help with even mixing of the batter and helps to control the flow of batter as you fill the baking pan.
Everything is super high quality and useful.
(Oh, and there’s a little Amazon gift card in there!)
Gingerbread Donuts – How About Something Savory?
We love ginger. A package of ginger snaps has no chance at my house.
So I decided to make gingerbread donuts – not too sweet, but spicy and satisfying.
Gingerbread Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 egg
- 1/2 stick butter softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup molasses
- sprinkles
Frosting
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- pinch cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your donut pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, both sugars, cinnamon and ginger. Beat in butter, egg, milk, and molasses until evenly blended.
- * If using the Dipping Donutz pan and accessories, follow product directions starting here.
- Spoon batter into a zip top bag, and cut off one bottom corner. Pipe batter into each donut mold, up to level with the pan.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- Once donuts are cooled, whisk together milk, powdered sugar, in a wide bowl. Take a cooled donut and dip one side into the prepared frosting, then lift up and place on a cooling rack. Add sprinkles.
Perfect for Holidays
What a great thing for holidays! Each holiday can be captured with the decoration. I decided to use the plain recipe for these donuts.
Old Fashioned Baked Donuts
Equipment
- Donut Pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- CINNAMON-SUGAR COATING
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray two 6-cavity doughnut pans with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and gently stir together until just combined.
- Divide the batter into the prepared donut pans, filling almost full.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon-sugar.
- As soon as the donuts are cooled enough to handle (but still warm), remove from pan and dip in cinnamon-sugar. Set on a wire rack to cool.
With Independence Day around the corner, I thought I would try donuts with red, white and blue frostings and patriotic sprinkles. I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks!
Love that rack for cooling and decorating! I just set it on a piece of wax paper and that made cleanup easy peasy.
Cakes of Eden provided the equipment for me to use in this post. These are my own conclusions and I haven’t been paid for this post.
