CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Doughnuts are one of the most satisfying things to make for me. That's the yeast magic. The dough grows in front of your eyes and when fried, grows even more into these puffy,cloud like rings! These particular doughnuts are baked. Baked doughnuts have been in trend for a long time now. Their texture is not like a raised / yeasted doughnut. It's more or less like a cake but a bit  denser. But that shouldn't keep you away from trying these goodies. They are different from a cake. It doesn't feel like you just poured a cake batter into a doughnut pan. It is different.

Ian has been asking me for something chocolate-y for a few days now. He gives me subtle hints every now and then and Zara is catching up on that as well. She loves to imitate her older brother! I usually bake things in the afternoon when Zara is napping so that it's ready by the time she wakes up,which is  around the same time that Ian gets back home from school. Then it's non-stop play & eating time. So I get mentally prepared for that before it's 4 o'clock!

The very second he gets into our mud room, he kind of makes a guess as what I would have made for him as an after school snack. He did not know that I had bought the doughnut pan so he was super excited to see what I had in store for him. Whenever I need a new recipe, I always go to one of my favourite sources and this time, it was no different.

You need a doughnut pan to bake these goodies. They are easily available online. I found mine at a store nearby. The only thing you need to be mindful while making these doughnuts are that the pans should be filled only to it's three-fourth capacity, so that when the doughnuts rise in the oven, it wouldn't end up being a big huge blob without the hole in the middle. But, if that happens, don't worry, you can easily use a spoon to dig out the extras.No matter how you make it, it's a delicious one!

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE DOUGHNUTS
Makes 12

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon instant coffee powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons vinegar
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

Chocolate icing:
1 cup chocolate chips
4 tablespoons milk

Method: Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly oil your doughnut pans.
Doughnuts : In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients from flour through chocolate chips. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, vinegar. It might look curdled and that's okay. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients along with the melted butter and stir until it's all combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans. Fill them only three-fourths full and bake for 12-15 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Once removed from the oven, let it be in the pan for 30 seconds,then invert the pan onto a cooling rack. The doughnuts will fall off easily. Let it cool completely.

Chocolate Icing: Combine chocolate chips and milk in a microwave safe bowl and heat it till the milk starts to steam and bubble. Mix it well till the icing is smooth. Dip the cooled doughnuts in it and set them icing side up on a rack /plate till the icing sets. If you want to sprinkle the top with something, do so before the icing sets. 

The kids gobbled up a couple as soon as I was done baking them and before glazing it. The glaze is super easy to make, a light ganache. It sets well and you can stack the doughnuts after the glaze has set, about 30 minutes. I recently bought some sprinkles in X'mas colours because we all know that the most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner! So I couldn't help sprinkle some over these beautiful doughnuts. These make beautiful gifts too!