spiced pumpkin doughnuts

Fall baking, you keep me from taking naps. That's probably a good thing.

Today, I tried to make doughnuts... again. When I was home a month ago, Mallory, my sister-in-law, and I attempted since she had a deep fryer. It didn't go very well. The oil was too hot, we didn't have enough oil, and the doughnut recipe wasn't very good.

At least, this attempt redeemed homemade doughnuts. I've been craving them ever since we went to the orchard last weekend and bought apple cider doughnuts. I improvised on many levels: no buttermilk, no doughnut cutter or any cookie cutters (whoops, forgot that on my registry), and no chilling. And, I also let my oil get too hot.

As a result, these were my problems. The first few, during the too hot oil phase, were not cooked in the center. While the whole chilling the dough for three hours does not solve immediate cravings, I'm assuming it prevents the outside from overcooking making an overall fluffier doughnut. Mine were crunchy on the outside like elephants ears. I'm not complaining. I really like elephant ears.

In the end, they were awesome. It was like biting into deep-fried fall.

Next on the baking list: pumpkin pancakes and apple butter. Look for it this next week. Oh, and do you see that cute little pumpkin? 69 cents at Trader Joe's. I love it. For the spiced pumpkin doughnut recipe...

Spiced Pumpkin Doughnuts from Better Homes and Gardens
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground giner
dash of ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (I used All Spice)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup buttermilk (I used heavy cream)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
vegetable oil for frying

Whip butter on high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves (or all-spice). Mix until combined. Beat in pumpkin, buttermilk, egg, egg yolk and vanilla until combined. Use a wooden spoon, stir in flour until well combined (it's pretty sticky at this point). Cover and chill for three hours.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with floured 2.5 inch doughnut cutter, dipping cutter into flour between cutters.

Fry doughnuts, 2 or 3 at a time, in deep, hot fat or oil about 2-1/2 minutes or until golden, turning once. Use a slotted spoon to remove doughnuts from oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes. Coat warm doughnuts in spiced sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 12 doughnuts plus holes.

Spiced Sugar: Stir together 1/2 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg.