Baked Doughnuts...Need I say more? :-)

I really always wanted to make doughnuts. When I was a little girl, there was an elderly gentleman who lived up the road from us and he was famous for his delicious (fried) doughnuts. I've always thought the raised doughnut making process would be difficult: making the batter, waiting for the oil to reach just the right temperature, making sure it doesn't get too hot and incinerate your doughnut, frying batch after batch...Wouldn't it be nice if there was an easy baked recipe that didn't require the wait? I've found one! 

I modified a Pinterest recipe from Shugary Sweets, and found that it was very easily made vegan and CHOCOLATE! Be careful with this recipe...it's rather addicting, and if you're watching your weight, well...

Ingredients:

Vanilla Variety

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla 

1/4 c. vinegar (or egg replacer to equal 2 eggs)

1 cup soy, coconut, or almond milk

2 Tb. soy margarine, melted

Chocolate Variety

Simply add 1/3 cup carob or cocoa powder and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon to dry ingredients listed above. 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a doughnut pan with cooking spray (or lightly grease with Crisco) and set aside. 

In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. In a separate small bowl, combine all wet ingredients. Add wet to dry ingredients and gently mix just until all the flour is incorporated. You'll have a fluffy thick batter. Spoon batter into a piping bag (or a Ziploc style plastic bag) and snip off the corner so that it is about the same size as the width of your doughnut pan indentions (?). Squeeze batter into each doughnut form, filling about 3/4 full. 

Slip doughnuts into the oven and bake for about 12 minutes. You'll want to check them and if the cake feels firm and bounces back when you touch it, they're done! YAY! Remove from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes, then turn the pan over to release them. I place them on a wire mesh cooling screen. When they are cool, they are ready for your favorite glaze.

Here is the one I used from Chef Chloe Coscarelli:

Chocolate Glaze

1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

2 Tb. plus 1 tsp. soy milk

1/2 cup powdered sugar 

Combine chocolate chips and soy milk. Process in microwave for about 30 seconds or until chocolate chips have become melty and it becomes a sort of ganache. Stir in powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. 

Dip your doughnuts head first into the glaze, swirling your wrist around to evenly coat the top of the doughnut and twisting the doughnut as you remove it to give it a nice finish. Decorate with your favorite toppings: nuts, sprinkles, etc. 

Enjoy!!! 

Yield: 9-10 doughnuts