Baked Doughnuts, Two Ways: Cinnamon Sugar and Vanilla Glazed

Don't ask, because I don't have a good answer. And if you're wondering, yes, I'm referring to the question I've posed to myself many times over as many years: how have I not made doughnuts yet?  Despite my continual cooking and baking for years, somehow this confectionery delight had escaped my kitchen.

Until last weekend.

I finally added doughnut pans to my kitchen arsenal (a part of the original dilemma) and determined that baking homemade doughnuts would make for a leisurely Sunday afternoon in the kitchen.  And so this doughnut story was born.

And like the other things I make with love, these did not disappoint and left me doing the happy dance we all have been known to do when good eats are involved and your vision comes to life.  Not only was I thrilled with how easy they were to whip up (all of the ingredients are pretty much kitchen staples), but I genuinely found them delicious and very much able to hold their own against the more popular (and unquestionably scrumptious) fried variety. 

Because who could dare argue with cinnamon and nutmeg infused doughnuts crowned with cinnamon sugar and vanilla glaze coatings?  Who? :)  Not I--and I'm pretty sure not you, either, once you make these.  In fact, I'm counting on you baking the wheels off of your newly crowned favorite dessert.

Although I recommend consuming them when they're still warm (we all know the obsession hot doughnuts have been known to stoke) for the ultimate in homemade doughnut revelry, you can store them in an airtight container for a day or two and still enjoy them all the same.  If you need more reassuring, I took a dozen-plus to a gathering the following day and they were received with happy mouths and tummies. 

So while there's no suitable answer to my original question of what took me so long, now that I've taken the plunge, there's no turning back.  I'm counting on you joining me, because friends don't let friends bake (and eat) alone. 😉

Happy Eating!

Baked Doughnuts

Ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups of sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups of milk

2 tablespoons melted brown butter

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract  

 

For the Toppings:

Cinnamon Sugar

4 tablespoons butter, melted 

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Vanilla Glaze

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Special Equipment:

2 doughnut baking pans 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray baking pans and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter until golden brown and let cool. (Cook's Note: it will go quickly so be careful not to burn it!)

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract.  Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they are combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pans and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.  Allow the doughnuts to cool for five minutes, then tap the pan to loosen, and turn them out onto a baking rack set over a lined sheet tray.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating: Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter while the doughnuts are cooling. Combine the cinnamon and sugar into a small bowl. Make a half dozen cinnamon sugar doughnuts by dipping the doughnuts in the butter and then coating with the cinnamon sugar. Set on the baking rack to set.

Vanilla Glazed Coating: Whisk together the confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla extract.  Dip the doughnuts in the glaze to coat and set on the baking rack to set. 

(If you have leftover batter like I did, repeat!)

Serve warm or store in an airtight container--and enjoy!

    

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Maple Glaze

History has it that bread pudding's origins date as far back as the 11th century.  And the refusal to waste leftover bread made it into a popular, frugal dish.  Fast forward to more modern times, the late 20th century to be exact, and that's where my personal history with bread pudding began.

I vividly remember the first time I tasted bread pudding.  I was a college freshman being treated to dinner by a Sorority big sister at a lovely local restaurant in our college town.  I'm sure I probably followed her lead in ordering it since I had never had it (and looked up to her immensely).  But that's where the following stopped.  Once I tasted the warm, perfectly spiced and comforting pudding, I knew we'd have a life long love affair.  And if my blog is any indication, you can probably guess how much of a fan I am.

Thinking back to that first taste, Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce, I'm thrilled to be recreating a dish that expanded my food horizons all those years ago and remains as a vivid reminder of the friendship and sisterhood that framed my first encounter.

And if that wasn't enough, bread pudding is the quintessential "bang for the buck", wow appeal, minus the requisite heavy lifting, dish that cooks and bakers everywhere love to bring to life.  Not to mention that its roots in frugality still makes it perfect for sharing without breaking the bank.

My version is served warm with a generous drizzle of maple glaze (sorry Bourbon), and perfectly proportioned in individual ramekins hearkening back to that personalized dessert course where we were first introduced. :)

If you're already a fan of this delicacy, then here's more to love.  If you're making it for the first time, I'm confident that, like me, you'll never look back.

Finally, what could make this even more special than including this recipe in the 2018 edition of the Black History Month Virtual Potluck?!  What began as an expose of 28 of the web's top black food bloggers in celebration of Black History Month continues again this year in similar, delicious fashion.  Each day of February will present a new recipe for you to explore and add to your personal repertoire.  See the full lineup following the recipe and be sure to join in on the fun.

Happy Eating!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Maple Glaze
Ingredients:
1 lb. cinnamon raisin bread, cubed into 1 in. pieces
1 quart half-n-half
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for greasing ramekins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus more for dusting 


Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease individual ramekins and set aside.
Place cubed bread on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. 
While bread is toasting, whisk together half-n-half, eggs, sugar, melted butter, salt, cinnamon and vanilla in a large bowl.  Add in toasted bread and push with hands to submerge in custard.  Let sit for 10 minutes.
Ladle bread custard into ramekins.  Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked through (a tester inserted into the center should come out clean.)
Meanwhile, for the maple glaze, whisk together maple syrup and powdered sugar to desired consistency.  Add a few drops of water to loosen, if needed. 
Remove ramekins from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and dust puddings with powdered sugar.  Drizzle with maple glaze, serve and enjoy!

Black History Month Potluck 2018

Beautiful Eats & Things | Turkey Sausage Stuffed Collard Green Wraps
Better With Biscuits | Fresh Corn Pudding
Beyond The Bayou Food Blog | Creole Red Snapper Courtbouillon
Brandi’s Diary | Better than Jiffy Cornbread from Scratch
Butter Be Ready | Southern Style Mac and Cheese
Chef Kenneth | Fried Sweet Potato Hand Pie
Chocolate For Basil | Pilau and Kachumbari (Spiced Rice with Pico)
Cooks with Soul | Braised Short Rib Meatloaf
D.M.R. Fine Foods | Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Maple Glaze
Dash of Jazz | Nigerian Jollof Rice
Domestic Dee | Fried Peach Pies
Eat.Drink.Frolic. | Olive Oil Braised Collard Greens
Food Fidelity | Mofongo Relleno (Mashed Plantains with Garlic Shrimp)
Food is Love Made Edible | Buttermilk Biscuits with Fried Chicken and Tabasco Honey
High Heels and Good Meals | Crawfish Etouffee
HomeMadeZagat | Shrimp with Spicy Curry Cream Sauce
Houston Food Fetish | Sweet Almond Tea Cakes
In the Kitchen w/Kmarie | Pineapple Lemonade
Marisa Moore Nutrition | Bourbon Peach Glazed Salmon
Meiko and The Dish | Candied Bourbon Peach Cobbler
My Life Runs On Food | Lentil Soup and Roast Okra
Orchids + Sweet Tea | Carrot and Zucchini Noodles Stir Fry with Shrimp
Raised on Ramen | Orange Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Savory Spicerack | Creamy Seafood Stew
Simply LaKita | Blackberry Cobbler
The Hungry Hutch | Orange Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze
The Kitchenista Diaries | Smothered Turkey Wings
The Seasoning Bottle | Honey Turmeric Skillet Chicken

{Savory & Sweet}: Herb-Truffle + Honey-Cinnamon Compound Butters

If you know me, then you know how I feel about a good compound butter.  Over the weekend, I decided to whip up two varieties--one sweet and one savory--to add extra flair and flavor to my holiday tables.  And what resulted were insanely good butters that will have you feigning long after the holidays have come and gone.

On the savory side, I took to my pantry for truffle salt (because it's the holidays, you know), and garlic, then I rounded up some fresh Italian herbs to create a decadent Herb-Truffle Butter.  This delicacy will take your turkey, chicken, roasted veggies, popcorn, and more, over the top with bold, savory goodness.

On the sweet side of things, I went for the warmth of cinnamon, coupled with the floral sweetness of honey, for a Honey-Cinnamon Butter that will make you forget what you did with your pancakes, waffles, french toast, muffins, baked sweet potatoes, and then some, before it came along. 

Easy to make and wonderful for sharing, these compound butters are the perfect special touches to your holiday fare.

Happy Eating!

Herb-Truffle Butter
Ingredients:
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon truffle salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Medley of fresh basil, rosemary and thyme, chopped  

Method:
In a small bowl, combine butter, herbs, salt, garlic and pepper.  Place on parchment paper and roll up into a log.  Refrigerate, or freeze, to firm.  Serve and enjoy!

Honey-Cinnamon Butter  
Ingredients:
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon salt
Splash of vanilla extract

Method:
In a small bowl, combine butter, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.  Place on parchment and roll up into a log.  Refrigerate, or freeze, to firm.  Serve and enjoy!

(Cook's Note: Butters can be stored in freezer and refrigerator.)