Baked, Not Fried

Have you ever been to a local fair where they are selling fresh doughnuts? You know the kind I mean...cakey and usually coated in cinnamon sugar? They are normally still warm from being fried and have a dense texture that no doughnut shop can replicate. The fresh taste of these doughnuts is a taste that draws me in every time.

I have never ventured to try to make doughnuts at home though. Mainly because there is my fear of frying. I don't like the idea of a vat of hot oil and I really don't like the idea of the smell of hot oil. It brings back too many memories of my summers working at Burger King and the grease smell that would follow me home every day. But, I recently acquired a doughnut pan. A mini doughnut pan actually. Now I could BAKE doughnuts. So not only do I get to try my hand at making doughnuts at home, but I get to make the healthy!

This recipe was really quick and made a tasty doughnut. From start to finish, this recipe took me less than 30 minutes. It will be on my list of breakfast foods to make for guests. Who wouldn't want to wake up to fresh, warm doughnuts? There are many possibilities for flavors, I am sure, but this one is the best in my book. Enjoy!

Doughnuts
Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Makes 18 mini doughnuts


1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c sugar
1 t baking powder
1/8 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
2 large eggs
3 T vegetable oil
2 T buttermilk


Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, oil and buttermilk until foamy. Pour the liquid ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Butter or grease the doughnut pan; non-stick pan spray works well here. Note: even though the pan is non-stick, since the doughnuts are low-fat they may stick unless you grease the pan first. Fill each doughnut form half full.


Bake the doughnuts in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes. When done, they'll spring back when touched lightly, and will be quite brown on the top. Remove the doughnuts from the oven, remove from the pan, and allow to cool on the rack. Glaze with icing, or coat with cinnamon-sugar or any non-melting sugar.