National Doughnut Day!!! #RecipeRoundUp

Whether you prefer doughnut over donut or fried over baked doesn’t really matter, because these glazed, filled, sprinkled, and all around glorious treats are uh-mah-zing no matter what you call them or how you make them! In honor of National Doughnut Day today, I’m sharing some of my favorites (which are all of them!) from the archives.

So, take out your donut-pans and get your sweet donut craving on!
Go get baking! 🙂

Baked Lemon Doughnuts with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze

Baked Banana Donuts & Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cake Donuts

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Doughnuts

Baked Chocolate Banana Doughnuts

Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts

Baked Lemon Doughnuts with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze ~ Eggfree

 

Hello folks! April went by at a lightening speed. It was a total blur. A beautiful blur at that. Yes, I absconded again for the latter part of April. Well, I hope you didn’t miss me much. Sorry to say but I didn’t miss you guys one bit. Here is why. These past days were spent with my most beautiful angelic cutie pie tiny-little-peanut-sized-newborn-niece. She turned 12 days today. We feel so blessed to have her in our lives and welcomed her in to this world with lots of snuggles and baby talks. We immediately named her Cherry (lovingly, of course!) because trust me when I tell you this, she looks just like a ruby red cherry. She is such a doll, so adorable, so so precious. All the sleepless nights spent in soothing her back to sleep were totally, absolutely worth it. I’m back home now and miss her so so much.

The moment I returned home, I had to bake. To celebrate. I instantly thought donuts! I mean, come on, donuts=celebration. Summer is not treating us Bangaloreans well this year and lemons are always on my mind. Big, plump, juicy, organic, tart yet sweet lemons from my parents-in-law’s lemon tree. They are simply THE best. So lemon donuts it was. They turned out so amazing that the next day I made them again. This time around I doubled the recipe and baked it as an 8-inch single layer cake for my parents-in-law’s wedding anniversary. So if you don’t own a donut pan, buy one ASAP! These little things are addicting! For now, simply bake them as mini cupcakes or just double this recipe to get a cake.

 

 

The recipe is simplicity at its best. Almost refined sugar free. No eggs required. No mixer needed. Just one bowl and a whisk is all you need to make the sun shine brightest! You can even prepare the glaze in the same mixing bowl. I am always happy with less dishes and lesser clean up. So in these donuts, moisture is being imparted by buttermilk and oil. Honey shoulders the responsibility of lending sweetness. Truly ordinary ingredients create this extra-ordinary treat. These baked donuts are light, fluffy and just lemony which doesn’t make you pucker!

These donuts are then topped with lemon cream cheese glaze. The glaze is a perfect accompaniment for the donuts. Again, just lemony and just sweet. Decorate them with a sprinkle of yellow colored sanding sugar. Vibrant, just like our little one.

So celebrate life and all things nice with these lemon glazed donuts!

 

 

Baked Lemon Doughnuts with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze ~ Eggfree

Makes: 6 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

For donuts:

• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp white granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 Tbsp oil
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice (lemon enthusiasts may use 2.5 to 3 Tbsp)

For glaze:

Following measurements can glaze about 10-12 donuts.

• 100 gm (3.5 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
• Yellow colored sanding sugar, to decorate

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven at 180ºC / 350ºF. Grease 6-count donut pan with oil. Set aside.
2. In one bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, add sugar and lemon zest and rub together with finger to release oils from the zest. Whisk in honey, oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract and lemon juice until the mixture formed is completely smooth.
4. Slowly whisk in dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Divide the batter among prepared donut pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 8-9 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then carefully turn out doughnuts directly onto rack to cool completely.
5. Glaze: Whisk together cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice and sifted icing sugar to form a smooth consistency. Dip completely cooled donuts one by one into a bowl of glaze and place back on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with yellow sanding sugar just before serving as the colors will bleed. Donuts will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days stored in a refrigerator.

*You will have little cream cheese glaze leftover which is never a bad thing in my book. You may lick with spoon or store it in refrigerator for 3-4 days. Give the glaze a good whisk before using on baked goods.
*Double the donut recipe and bake it in an 8-inch cake tin. Bake for about 20-23 minutes.
*To make this recipe vegan, make your own non-dairy buttermilk. To 1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, add 1/3 cup non-dairy milk of your choice . Let sit for 15-20 minutes and use as a regular buttermilk substitution.

Baked Banana Donuts & Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting ~ Healthier & Eggfree

Wow… It’s been  3 weeks since my last blog-post! I’ve really missed you guys. If you follow me on Instagram then you know of my shenanigans. Past 3 weeks were spent vacationing leisurely in beautiful Goa and finishing some important paperwork back home. If you don’t follow me there then you’ve missed out on some amazing pics of sunsets and not-to-be-missed eateries in Goa so I’d suggest you tap that blue button right away! We had a fabulous time spending our 5th wedding anniversary, relaxing and lazying around on beach. It had been ages (more than a year!!) since we took our last vacation (just us) so this 10 days break was much appreciated. But my sun-burnt self is definitely glad to be back and you’re going to love this recipe I have for you!

After our holiday to the tropics, I recreated the scene in the comfort of our home and made these uh-mah-zing banana donuts. Oh and I didn’t serve them alone. Oh yeh! These are topped with fresh strawberry cream cheese frosting. Yes, it is 2 recipes in 1 blog-post kinda day today. Anyway I can compensate my absence on this space 😉

These soft and fluffy whole wheat banana donuts are what dreams are made of! This is a healthier and eggfree version. Brown sugar has been used which used with bananas lends a caramelized depth of flavor. I prefer to use oil instead of butter in most of my cakes and cupcakes. Oil combined with yogurt gives moist and pillowy end product even when whole wheat flour is involved.

And what do I say about the frosting! It is super cool. Spread it on donuts or frost some vanilla or chocolate cupcakes with it. Yes, the recipe below will frost about 12 cupcakes and will frost 12 donuts even more generously with a spoonful or two extra for licking! The frosting naturally is pink without addition of any artificial color and it is flavored with real strawberries and just a bit of strawberry extract. Perfection indeed!

Happy Baking!
xx

Baked Banana Donuts with Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting ~ Healthier & Eggfree

Makes : 12 donuts | Prep time: 20 minutes | Bake time: 13-14 minutes | Total time: under 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For donuts:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 + 1/2 cup mashed banana (about 3 large)
• 6 Tbsp yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For frosting:

• 2 large strawberries
• 4 ounce / 110 gm plain cream cheese spread, at room temperature
• 1 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 tsp strawberry essence
• 1/4 tsp strawberry essence
• 1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted (or more as per preference)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven at 180ºC / 350ºF. Grease 12-count donut pan with oil. Set aside.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together oil and sugar until completely incorporated. Whisk in banana, yogurt and vanilla extract.
4. Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until no flour pockets remain. Do not over-mix. Divide the batter equally and fill the molds no more than 3/4th. Bake for 13-14 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then carefully turn out doughnuts directly onto rack to cool.
5. Preparing frosting: Wash, hull and pat dry 2 large strawberries. Cut them in small pieces and mash them using fork. Add cream cheese spread, butter and strawberry essence to the bowl and whisk using your electric mixer. Add sifted sugar to this mixture and whisk until completely incorporated and frosting is firm. On completely cooled donuts, spread a thick layer of this frosting. The donuts will keep well in refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Red Velvet Cake Donuts ~ Valentine’s Special

After being on a month long health-kick, I think it is time to introduce a little indulgence. After all, it is last day of January.Valentine’s day is just round the corner so today’s post was definitely called for. I’m giving you a gorgeous sweet something for the occasion.

I have already professed my love for donut pan to you before. Ooh, how much I adore it. I want to bake everything into donut now, yes, obsessed is the word! But come on, how cute are these baked donuts?! You’re definitely going to have hard time deciding, eat them for breakfast or dessert! Or may be have them for both 😉

These baked donuts are smothered with cream cheese frosting. Purr..fection! They are soft, tender and fluffy. They come together quickly and uses just a bowl. Baking is done in 8 minutes flat! Takes about 20-25 minutes start to finish. Of course, you will need to wait for donuts to cool completely before applying the frosting. I know which is quite difficult! So you may make them a day in advance, frost them and sprinkle sanding sugar just before serving. No more waiting, problem solved!

I made a small batch of 6 which is perfect if you’re still dieting. They are not obnoxiously fattening. I counted calories to be sure and each donut has 210 calories with frosting. Not so bad, right? Perfect for a cheat day with minimal cheating which means, yes, go ahead and have two!

So make them for Valentine’s or make them now. Bake them as donuts or as cupcakes. Just make them! 🙂

Red Velvet Cake Donuts

Yields: 6 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Bake time: 8 minutes | Total time: About 25 minutes

Ingredients:

For donuts:

• 2/3 cup + 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp oil
• 5 Tbsp yogurt/buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Red food coloring
• 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

For cream cheese frosting:

• 3 Tbsp plain cream cheese, at room temperature (I used plain spreadable cream cheese)
• 3 Tbsp icing sugar, sifted
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Splash of milk, only if needed
• Red sanding sugar, to decorate

Directions:

1. For donuts: Preheat oven at 180ºC / 350ºF. Spray the 6-count donut pan with oil. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a another mixing bowl, whisk together egg and sugar till nicely incorporated. Whisk in oil, yogurt/buttermilk and vanilla extract. Slowly mix in dry ingredients to wet ingredients with the help on spoon or rubber spatula. Mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
4. Add red food coloring as required stirring minimally. Finish with whisking in vinegar to the batter. Divide the batter equally and fill the mold no more than 3/4th. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool in pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then carefully turn out doughnuts directly onto rack to cool.
5. Cream cheese frosting: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cream cheese, sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add a dash of milk. Spread the frosting on completely cooled donuts. Sprinkle with red sanding sugar just before serving as the colors will bleed. Doughnuts will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days stored in a refrigerator.

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Doughnuts

This is my last recipe post for the year and I can not help but write about doughnuts! Yes! Another baked doughnut recipe for you all. I was able to scratch one more thing off my list before bidding adieu to 2013. No, I am not talking about buying a doughnut pan. I am talking about making pumpkin puree from scratch! It was added to the list simply because we don’t get canned pumpkin puree here. Of course the final result was immensely satisfying and rewarding. Pioneer Woman created this easy tutorial light years ago which I followed. Now I have freezer-full of pumpkin puree and no, I am not whining about it! 🙂

These doughnuts are my 2nd favorite after these. Do not close your browser window thinking this recipe is not good enough. These are equally soft, fluffy and gorgeous as my favorite ones. It is just that chocolate always tops my list and cinnamon follows hence the second place. If you want best of both worlds then fold in some dark chocolate chips to the batter. Totally sinful and acceptable! Just saying! 😉

These lovelies are so pillowy, you may want to sleep on them! They are perfectly cakey plus each bite is wrapped in cinnamon. Your house will smell dee-vine! The batter comes together easily in one bowl, without using any mixer. If you don’t own a doughnut pan, here is a good news, you may easily bake them in a muffin-pan!

I am not going to ask you to make them first thing in 2014 ‘IF’ your new-year resolution is to eat healthy as they are not completely low-fat but do indulge in them on your cheat-day as I can guarantee that you’ll absolutely LOVE them without regret!

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts

Makes: 12 doughnuts | Prep time: 10 minutes | Bake time: 13 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 4 Tbsp yogurt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

For coating:

• 3 Tbsp vanilla sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven at 180ºC/350ºF. Grease the doughnut pan with oil and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg and sugar. Beat in oil, pumpkin puree, yogurt and vanilla extract one by one. Slowly fold in dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Do not overmix the batter. Mix just until no flour pockets remain.
4. Carefully spoon the batter to the doughnut pan, filling not more than 3/4th. Bake for 13 minutes. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes and then invert on the cooling rack.
5. In a zip-lock bag, combine vanilla sugar and ground cinnamon. One at a time, put the still-quite-hot doughnuts in a bag and shake lightly to cover. Remove from bag and serve! Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Baked Chocolate Banana Doughnuts ~ Low-fat & Egg-free!

 

I pretty much say this about the every recipe I post here but these are the BEST thing ever ever baked in my kitchen! At least so Mr claimed!

These are so moist, soft and super-pillowy. Banana and chocolate heaven in each bite! These baked doughnuts will truly rock your world I tell ya! People with diet-restrictions, this recipe is a MUST in your repertoire!! Such a result without eggs and whole wheat flour… Amazing!

 

 

 

And these beauties are then topped with ganache.. A white chocolate ganache.. slurp… It is so gorgeous and I am telling you that this ganache is a MUST for these donuts! I mean who eats a naked donut, right?!!! And then the sprinkles which truly are a NECESSITY! 😀

I shall not endorse it anymore but you gotta try it to believe it! 🙂

Baked Chocolate Banana Doughnuts

Yields: 8 doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 Tbsp Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
• 4 Tbsp yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For Ganache:

• 2 Tbsp medium-fat cream/milk
• 4 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• sprinkles, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven at 180ºC/350ºF. Grease doughnut pan with baking spray. Set aside
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar. Whisk in mashed banana, yogurt and vanilla extract.
4. Slowly fold in dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Divide the batter equally and fill the mold no more than 3/4th. Bake for 11-12 minutes. Cool in pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then carefully turn out doughnuts directly onto rack to cool.
5. Preparing ganache: In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream for 40-60 seconds. Fold in chopped white chocolate and mix till it melts completely. Dip cooled doughnuts one by one into bowl of ganache and place back on a cooling rack. Top with sprinkles and serve. Doughnuts will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

*In ganache reccipe, white chocolate may be substituted with dark chocolate.

Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts

I’ve got some good news for ya all!!!

I FINALLY bought doughnut pan! Eeeeeeep!!!

I was so EXCITED the day it arrived that I wanted to put it to use immediately (As if it’s any surprise!). The stars and planets united and I was faced with early Diwali gifting occasion.. Happiest me! Without any second thoughts I knew it had to be freshly baked doughnuts.

I wanted to make chocolate doughnuts as my first doughnuts in this pan but these were for gifting so I decided against it. I mean, I can’t trust myself around chocolate and the gift couldn’t be an empty box so, smart move I thought! 😛

With the weather we are experiencing and soooo many apples sitting in my pantry, these adorable beauties were born. And I was absolutely pleased with my decision making ability this time around!

They were just So So Good, I wanted to eat the whole batch myself… No kidding!! I mean can you imagine anything better where you can have apple, cinnamon and sprinkles, all together?! Oh… our house smelled Dee-vine!

Needless to say that the doughnuts were so soft and moist plus a healthier breakfast option compared to the store-bought deep-fried version. Win-win!

So buy the doughnut pan right away if you don’t already have it. I got mine from here. You NEED it in your life… Trust me! Plus these make such cute gifts for this festive season too!

Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts

Yields: 8 to 9 doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 medium granny smith apple, peeled and finely chopped

Glaze:

 

• 1 Tbsp melted butter
• 2 Tbsp caster sugar + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, mixed together
• sprinkles (optional)

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF. Lightly grease the doughnut pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Whisk in milk to this mix.
4. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients all at once to it. Add finely chopped apples. Stir together until no flour pockets remain but be careful not to over-mix.
5. With a small spoon, dollop batter into the prepared pan. Fill each doughnut pan three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until doughnuts are puffed up and lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the pan for a while before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. While doughnuts are still warm, brush melted butter on each doughnut. Sprinkle some sprinkles on each doughnut followed by cinnamon-sugar.

*These doughnuts are best served the day they are made.
*Feel free to grate the peeled apple if you do not like chopped pieces in every bite!
*Make the recipe eggless by simply replacing egg with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce.

Happy Baking!!