There're two types of people in this world: cake donut people and yeast donut people. I'm team cake. The difference between the two is that yeast donuts use yeast (as the name implies) as the leavening agent and therefore need time to rise. They also need to be kneaded (punny) to build gluten to give the donut structure. Cake donuts use baking powder or baking soda as a leaving agent. Some cake donut recipes require kneading, but not mine! In this recipe, the donuts can be cooked immediately, thus cutting out the wait time between baking and eating (if you're impatient like me). The texture of a yeast donut is very light and airy, almost pillowy (think Krispy Kreme), while the cake donut yields a crispier exterior with a denser yet fluffy interior (think Dunkin).
My husband and I love to make donuts together at Christmas time, so I developed this recipe to scream "Christmas" in every bite. I hope you enjoy this easy recipe as much as we do.
INGREDIENTS:
7 tbsp (100g) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 tbsp (100g) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup (115 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (3 g) baking powder
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
zest of one large orange
sugar for covering (about 5 tbsp)
Preheat oven to 350 F. With a mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, making sure the first egg is well incorporated before adding the second. Add vanilla and mix. Sift flour, baking powder, allspice, and cinnamon into the wet ingredients. Using a microplane, add the zest of one large orange into the mixing bowl. Using a spatula, gently incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, being sure to not overmix. Liberally spray a silicone donut mold with cooking spray and place on top of a cookie baking sheet. Using a spoon or piping bag, fill molds evening with mixture. Lightly spray the top of the batter with cooking spray. Bake for 16 minutes. When cool enough to handle, but still warm. Roll donuts in a plate of sugar to cover liberally. Rest donuts on a wire cooling rack to cool. Enjoy!
30 minutes | Yields 6-7 3"donuts
Tips:
If you're filling the molds with a spoon, spread the batter with your finger to avoid gaps and holes in the baking.
Don't forget the inside of the donut hole when sugaring! I like to use my finger to spread the sugar on the inside to make sure each bite is coated.
In my experience, turbinado sugar doesn't do very well with these donuts for sugaring. The sugar just doesn't stick. Regular granulated white sugar works best.
Try swapping the vanilla for almond flavor!
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