Easy Spice Cake Donuts

Here’s another Perry family recipe, Spice Cake Donuts. Definitely not labor intensive. Wonderful with milk or coffee. What a great breakfast surprise for the family … Fresh, golden, homemade Spice Cake Donuts. Thank you second cousin Margaret and forgive me for changing up the recipe just a bit.

Recipe

Makes 18+ two and a half inch donuts
30 minutes total prep time

2 Eggs
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 Cup milk
5 Tablespoons shortening-melted
4 Cups sifted bread flour
4 Teaspoons baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Teaspoon salt

Cooking oil for cooking donuts

1 Teaspoon vanilla-optional
A shake or two of ground mace-optional

Beat the eggs with an electric beater, slowly add the sugar while continuing to beat. The eggs and sugar will be fluffy. Stir in the milk and slightly cooled shortening. Sift the flour again with the other dry ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until blended. Divide the dough in half and put half into the freezer (just for minutes). Place the other half of the dough into the refrigerator. It is easier to handle the dough if it is cold. I always use a well floured board. Use the bread flour for the board dusting.

After the 1/2 dough has cooled about 5 minutes in the freezer roll the dough on a floured board to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2 inch cutter. I use glassware that has a thick lip, not too thick, for cutting through safely. Yep, that’s a grappa glass for the donut hole. Now pull the other half of the dough from the refrigerator and roll out. They are ready to cook.

Heat the cooking oil to 375 degrees F. I actually do not use a thermometer but it can be a safety issue if the oil gets too hot and you are not aware until it splatters. I highly recommend a cooking thermometer for new cooks. Slowly heat up the oil. This can be done while you are mixing the ingredients. The oil should be about 1 inch in depth in your pan. Choose a pan that will accommodate several donuts at a time but not too big or you will need lots of oil to maintain the depth of one inch. Cook the donuts until golden brown and then flip to the other side. You can turn them several times if you like. Cooking takes just minutes, 2-3.

Drain the donuts on paper towels. The donuts can develop cracks in the sides like an old fashion … Especially if the dough is rolled out several times to incorporate the donut holes. These are delicious too. And you may wish to glaze your donuts … truly an old fashion donut.

Glaze

Use a bowl just big enough to accommodate one donut at a time. Mix one cup of sifted powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of water. Dip the donuts on both sides. Place donuts on rack until glaze is firm.

Sugar Coated

Place donut into a bag with a small amount of sugar, granulated or powdered. Close the bag and tip the bag back and forth. Your sugar covered donut is ready to eat.