Baked Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

I made these doughnuts several weeks ago but just thinking about them as I type this has my mouth watering.  I love carrot cake....minus the nuts.  My husband always comments that doughnuts and muffins are just an excuse to eat cake for breakfast.  I find nothing wrong with that!  I saw these doughnuts and knew I'd be making them.  Carrot Cake for breakfast?  Yum!  And Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting?! Even better.  These were more time-consuming to make then doughnuts I've made in the past, but were well worth it.  My son watched me as I made these and asked, "Are you going to put the batter in the ziploc bag again?"  Of course I was!  The ziploc bag definitely cuts down on mess and helps with even portions.  These doughnuts were so tasty and ones that I will be making again!  We all loved them!

Baked Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
recipe from Diethood.com via Life's Simple Measures

Yield:  18 doughnuts

Ingredients:
For the Carrot Cake Doughnuts:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 whole egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup plain yogurt
2/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained, reserve 4 tablespoons juice for the frosting
2/3 cup finely shredded carrots

For the Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
4-ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

For the Carrot Cake Doughnuts:
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease the doughnut pan; set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl sift together the flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter, light brown sugar, and salt. Add egg, vanilla, and yogurt; beat until smooth. Add flour mixutre. Stir in pineapple and carrots.

Spoon the mixture into a ziploc bag and pipe batter into prepared pan, filling only 1/2 way up the doughnut cavities.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Cool doughnuts in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack.

In the meantime prepare the Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Pour in the pineapple juice and powdered sugar; continue to beat until completely blended and smooth.

Frost the doughnuts when cooled.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

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Baked Maple Cinnamon Donuts

Happy April Fool's Day!  I don't have any tricks for you, but I do have a treat. Recently I've seen lots of recipes for donuts being posted in the blogosphere.  I asked (and received) donut pans from my parents for Christmas.  Only this past month did I finally break them out and use them.  These were the first donuts I made in said pans.  This recipe came from a blog titled Cooking with My Kid and I did indeed make these donuts with my son.  He helped with the measuring, pouring, and stirring of ingredients.  These are cake donuts that have a sponge-like texture.  It wasn't a bad thing but definitely a noticeable thing, if that makes sense.  Of course I think adding cinnamon and sugar on anything will make it tasty.  These were a great first donut that we all enjoyed as a nice breakfast treat!

Baked Maple Cinnamon Donuts
recipe adapted from Cooking with My Kid

Yield:  6 donuts

Ingredients:
non-stick cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 6 oz container plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 1/2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter (melted)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Toss the cinnamon and sugar together and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients. In another bowl stir together oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, egg, yogurt, and vanilla. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the hole. Gently fold everything together until combined. Spoon batter into a ziploc baggie and snip off a corner with scissors.  Pipe batter into donut molds in pan.  Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a few moments and then flip over onto a cooling rack while still warm. Use a pastry brush to butter your donuts and then dip each donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.