Some of these donut cutters look like they might be used for bagels, but I've never seen a "cut-out" bagel recipe! As regular readers of my blog have figured out by now, I really love donuts. They constitute an entire category in this blog (look at the list to the right) and I often dedicate a day off or part of my vacation to exploring the donut shops of a particular city or region. I also have an extensive collection of donut cutters---the hand turned cherry wood one in the bottom right was inherited from my mother and is a special treasure.
Plain glazed donut . . . mmmmm! I love yeasted donuts (plain glazed, thank you very much) but they require a commitment of several hours, so I can’t always fit them into my schedule. Cake donuts are quicker but often require special equipment (either a batter dispenser for fried donuts or special pans for the baked version). So when I saw a recipe for a cake donut that used a soft dough instead of a batter, it quickly moved to the top of my “Recipes to Try” list. I was especially attracted to this recipe because it makes use of mashed potatoes, a common leftover in the monastery!
The dough Quick Cake Donuts is quite soft---flour the counter well before rolling it out. You can also just press it out with your hands.
As I always do, my first trial I tried the recipe exactly as I found it. I thought the amount of potato was a bit much---I liked the texture, but I don’t think a donut should taste “potato-y.” I also like a cake donut to be sweet enough without any toppings of any kind, so I had to increase the amount of sugar slightly (and, by extension, the butter!). The dough is very soft, a lot like drop cookie dough, so resist the temptation to add more flour or you'll lose the tenderness of the texture.
The dark flecks in this dough is freshly ground nutmeg.
Read this carefully! The picture above is an example of what NOT to do! If the cut out donuts sit too long before frying, they can stick to the counter, or the hole is difficult to remove. I cut out only four at a time, fry them immediately, and repeat until the dough is used up.
Quick Cake Donuts, fresh from the fryer!
You’ll need about 2½″ of oil to fry the donuts, so use a Dutch oven or a deep cast iron fryer over medium heat: bring the oil temperature up to 375° F. A thermometer is really necessary here, unless you have a calibrated electric skillet. Fry the donuts three or four at a time, turning once: about 2 to 4 minutes per side, until browned. That may seem like a wide range of time, but a cast iron fryer, a deep skillet and an electric fryer all behave differently, so you’ll need to experiment a bit. Keep an eye on your oil temperature---if it’s too cool the donuts will be greasy, if it’s too hot they’ll be dark on the outside and doughy in the middle.
Because of the starchy potatoes, the resulting donuts are tender in the middle but delightfully crispy on the edges. I think they are perfect without any toppings whatsoever, but some of the brethren are fond of cinnamon sugar and icing, so I make a selection. Try them this weekend, and you might discover a new family favorite!
Because of the starchy potatoes, the resulting donuts are tender in the middle but delightfully crispy on the edges. I think they are perfect without any toppings whatsoever, but some of the brethren are fond of cinnamon sugar and icing, so I make a selection. Try them this weekend, and you might discover a new family favorite!
I asked Fr. Michael what he thought about this photo, and he said "That would definitely make me come to breakfast!" Quick Cake Donuts
¼ cup (½ stick) of softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg (room temp)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup mashed potatoes
¼ cup milk (2% or skim)
2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour (plus more for the work surface)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp. table salt
1 tsp. nutmeg (½ tsp. if grated fresh)
Vegetable shortening or oil for frying
Cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, icing, etc. as desired
In a medium size bowl, cream the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until the mixture is glossy. Add the mashed potatoes and milk and beat until well blended (instant potatoes mix in easily, real potatoes may not quite incorporate all the way---no worries!)
In a separate smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg and whisk until thoroughly blended. Add the dry ingredients to the potato mixture and beat just until evenly combined. The dough will be soft and fairly sticky, rather like cookie dough. Allow to rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
Generously dust a counter or board (wood is best) with flour and turn the dough out onto the floured counter. Sprinkle the top with flour as well. Flour your hands and press the dough into a rough oval about ½″ thick, or use a floured rolling pin. Cut out donuts using a donut cutter (I like to use a small one, about 2½″ across). Gather up the scraps and press them together into a ball, then flatten again to cut out more donuts. The remaining scraps can be rolled into balls to go in with the donut holes.
Use a Dutch oven or a deep cast iron fryer over medium heat: bring the oil temperature up to 375° F. A thermometer is really necessary here, unless you have a calibrated electric skillet. Fry the donuts three or four at a time, turning once: about 2 to 4 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer the cooked donuts to paper towels to drain. Fry the donut holes at the end all at once, stirring constantly so they are cooked on all sides.
These donuts are just sweet enough that you can enjoy them without any topping or glaze, but you can toss them in cinnamon sugar, sprinkle them with powdered sugar, dip them in a glaze, etc.
¼ cup (½ stick) of softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg (room temp)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup mashed potatoes
¼ cup milk (2% or skim)
2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour (plus more for the work surface)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp. table salt
1 tsp. nutmeg (½ tsp. if grated fresh)
Vegetable shortening or oil for frying
Cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, icing, etc. as desired
In a medium size bowl, cream the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until the mixture is glossy. Add the mashed potatoes and milk and beat until well blended (instant potatoes mix in easily, real potatoes may not quite incorporate all the way---no worries!)
In a separate smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg and whisk until thoroughly blended. Add the dry ingredients to the potato mixture and beat just until evenly combined. The dough will be soft and fairly sticky, rather like cookie dough. Allow to rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
Generously dust a counter or board (wood is best) with flour and turn the dough out onto the floured counter. Sprinkle the top with flour as well. Flour your hands and press the dough into a rough oval about ½″ thick, or use a floured rolling pin. Cut out donuts using a donut cutter (I like to use a small one, about 2½″ across). Gather up the scraps and press them together into a ball, then flatten again to cut out more donuts. The remaining scraps can be rolled into balls to go in with the donut holes.
Use a Dutch oven or a deep cast iron fryer over medium heat: bring the oil temperature up to 375° F. A thermometer is really necessary here, unless you have a calibrated electric skillet. Fry the donuts three or four at a time, turning once: about 2 to 4 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer the cooked donuts to paper towels to drain. Fry the donut holes at the end all at once, stirring constantly so they are cooked on all sides.
These donuts are just sweet enough that you can enjoy them without any topping or glaze, but you can toss them in cinnamon sugar, sprinkle them with powdered sugar, dip them in a glaze, etc.
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