Baked Whole-Wheat Cake Doughnuts

By Hklbrries

This Mother's Day, show some love with fresh-from-the-oven carbs.

Do-it-yourself doughnuts are easier than they sound, especially if you opt for a baked rather than fried variety. If you can make muffins, you can make baked doughnuts.

You will, however, need a special doughnut pan. These inexpensive pans resemble a cross between a shallow muffin tin and a mini-Bundt pan, with the funnel in the center of the tin forming the doughnut "hole."

Most varieties of these pans are nonstick, come in mini and standard doughnut sizes, and cost less than $15.

Be careful to read the directions that come with your pan. The key to producing a traditional doughnut shape is not using too much batter per doughnut. You pan's directions should indicate the proper amount.

The good news is that too much batter will still bake up and taste fine, but you might need to use a paring knife to trim the edges of the doughnuts after they have cooled.

Because baked doughnuts keep well, consider making them the night before, then decorating them just before serving. This also ensures the doughnuts cool completely, which is important for getting a good glaze.

The glaze recipe included here produces an opaque, crackly white glaze perfect for dipping the doughnuts into. If you prefer, a little food coloring can be added for a colored glaze.

For decorating, buy candy sprinkles, which can be dropped over the glazed doughnuts. But be quick. The glaze will harden in five to 10 seconds. Applying the sprinkles is a good job for the kids.

Alternatively, skip the glaze and dust cooled doughnuts with confectioners' sugar, a blend of confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder, or a mix of confectioners' sugar and ground cinnamon.


Note: If you don't have buttermilk, make a substitute by placing 2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice in a 1-cup measure. Fill to the top with regular milk, then let sit for 2 minutes before using.

This recipe is adapted from "Hodgson Mill Whole Grain Baking" (Fair Winds Press, $19.95 paperback).

Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce or canned pumpkin (but not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Position a rack at the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 F. Generously coat a doughnut pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the sugar, applesauce, buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla until frothy, for about 1 1/2 minutes.

Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Using a spoon, mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

Transfer the batter to a large plastic bag. Twist close the top. Use scissors to snip off one bottom corner of the bag, creating about a 1/2-inch-wide opening.

Holding the bag over the prepared pan, gently squeeze batter into each doughnut mold. The batter also can be spooned into the molds, but the finished doughnuts might have a less even appearance.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when pressed gently around the edges. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the molds to release the doughnuts. Invert the doughnuts onto the rack and cool completely.