Baked pumpkin doughnuts
We鈥檙e still having Indian summer weather in northern California but it鈥檚 October so I鈥檓 pretending it鈥檚 fall. Which means pumpkin stuff.
Baked doughnuts almost always have the texture of cake doughnuts rather than yeasted doughnuts. Which makes sense since you鈥檙e baking them like a cake rather than frying them. Healthier for you but it鈥檚 a small round cake with a hole in the middle, just to set your expectations. I liked these doughnuts in that they were cakey and the melted butter/cinnamon-sugar coating just made the doughnut. Honestly, the doughnut was just the vehicle to get the butter-cinnamon-sugar into your mouth.
Pumpkin doesn鈥檛 have a strong flavor so these may be a bit bland if you don鈥檛 do the coating but why would you leave it out? These would also be good glazed with some royal icing (confectioners鈥� sugar, vanilla extract and milk).
Similar to cakes, these doughnuts are best served fresh the day they鈥檙e made. If you鈥檙e not going to serve them right away, don鈥檛 coat them at all; just wrap them individually in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag and freeze them. When you鈥檙e ready to serve them, let them thaw, refresh them slightly by heating in the microwave or oven then dip them in melted butter and roll them in cinnamon sugar or skip the butter and just glaze them.
Baked pumpkin doughnuts
From
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspooon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup butter-flavored olive oil (I used regular)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
6-7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a doughnut pan with non-stick spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
3. In a separate, larger bowl, stir together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth.
4. Add dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Spoon the batter into each cavity of the pan.
5. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.聽
6. For cinnamon sugar coating, melt about 6-7 tablespoons of butter. In a separate bowl, stir together about 2/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Dip each doughnut into the butter until completely coated and then dip into the cinnamon and sugar. Repeat with each doughnut.
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