Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnuts.

Baking homemade cake doughnuts requires a few important skills.

Love... you must love turning flour, sugar, and butter into crispy, cakey breakfast dessert.

Patience... not to eat every single crunchy, golden brown doughnut as it sizzles and pops to the top of hot oil.

Understanding... that hot oil is really, really hot.

Willingness... to get a little messy, dye sugar pink, and use handfuls of heart-shaped sprinkles with abandon.

Fearlessness... to keep on frying, even if the first doughnut isn't perfect.

Acceptance... that you cannot glaze a hot doughnut without melting the icing off, no matter how hungry you are.

And a promise.

To try these.

To dip them in pink or cinnamon-sugar or chocolate icing.

... and maybe even eat them for dinner.

Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnuts

Printable Recipe

Doughnuts
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
A pinch of salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Vegetable oil for frying

Vanilla Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 to 3 drops red food coloring
2-3 tablespoons milk

Line a baking sheet or work surface with a thick layer of paper towels; set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg, salt, and granulated sugar. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg, and melted butter; fold into the flour mixture using a rubber spatula until fully incorporated. (I used my hands for this part as it takes a little bit of work to get the dough together). 

Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. 

Sprinkle a clean work surface with flour and turn dough out onto counter. Roll or pat out to 1/2-inch thick and cut using a round 2 1/2-inch doughnut or biscuit cutter. 

Place a candy thermometer in a medium saucepan, pour oil in about 1 1/2 inches, and heat over medium-low heat to 360°F.

When oil reaches temperature, carefully fry two or three doughnuts at a time, for about 1 minute on each side (doughnut holes only need 30 seconds on each side). Remove from oil, let excess oil drain off, then place on paper towels to cool.

Note: Be sure to keep an eye on the temperature. Make small adjustments to the heat as needed and adjust your cooking time accordingly.

When cooled completely, make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, food coloring, and 2 tablespoons milk.

If glaze is too thick to dip doughnuts in, add another tablespoon of milk. Dunk cooled doughnuts face-down in the glaze, decorate with sprinkles, then set on paper towels or wax paper to set.

Source: Doughnut recipe from Joy the Baker, icing adapted from same recipe.

Hidden Mickey!