Some of you may know that I’m not much of a doughnut fan — a yeast doughnut fan, that is. These are cake doughnuts, and let me tell you — they are incredibly delicious. Depending on where you live, the doughnut dough will be more more sticky or not as sticky. Here in the Low Country, we have high humidity, so I add extra flour to the dough as I shape it. You may need to, too.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 4 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 1 hr 20 min |
| Yield: | 16 doughnuts and holes |
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 4 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 1 hr 20 min |
| Yield: | 16 doughnuts and holes |
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups apple cider
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
- 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (see Cook’s Note)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Canola oil, for frying
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Large pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- For the doughnuts: Pour the cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk together the eggs, melted butter, vanilla and 1 cup of the reduced apple cider in a separate bowl. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the egg mixture to the center. Stir just until combined. (The dough will be very soft.) Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn out onto a floured surface. With well-floured hands, pat the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick circle. Cut the dough into doughnuts using a well-floured doughnut cutter, reserving the holes (see Cook’s Note). Gather the scraps and pat into a 1/2-inch-thick circle. Cut the dough into doughnuts and repeat until all the dough is used.
- Pour enough oil to reach 3 inches up the sides of a Dutch oven and heat to 350 degrees F.
- Add the doughnuts and doughnut holes, 2 to 3 at a time, to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Repeat the process until all the doughnuts are fried. Let cool completely.
- For the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in 3 to 4 tablespoons reserved reduced cider, one tablespoon at a time, to the desired consistency. If the glaze is too thick, add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency. Working one at a time, dip the doughnuts and doughnut holes into the glaze, allowing the excess to drip off. Place on a wire rack to allow the glaze to set, 15 to 20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 16 servings |
| Calories | 413 |
| Total Fat | 22 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 51 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 29 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 35 mg |
| Sodium | 227 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 16 servings |
| Calories | 413 |
| Total Fat | 22 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 51 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 29 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 35 mg |
| Sodium | 227 mg |
Reviews
I made this recipe exactly as written, only I skipped the glaze and coated the still warm doughnuts and their hole companions in 100 g granulated sugar + tablespoon of ground cinnamon. I also made the batter the night before and woke this crisp fall morning to shape and bake the doughnuts. Easy and delicious. This is the first recipe I’ve ever made by Miss Brown and it certainly will not be the last!