Doughnut Muffins

A few weeks ago, on the last mile of a grueling long run, I passed a box of doughnuts that someone had opened and left on the ground. At this point in the run, I was hungry (and realized very much that I need to carry fuel on these runs), and after seeing the doughnuts just wanted one. They were the convenience store type of doughnut, the yellow ones with the sort of waxy chocolate frosting. Even as I describe them that way, I still kind of want one. . .

I obviously didn’t touch the doughnuts on the ground, but since I rarely crave sweets and doughnuts usually make me feel too full and kind of ill, I thought it kind of weird that I had them on the brain. Running does strange things to one’s food cravings.

At Target this weekend, I passed a display of doughnut pans, and I decided to try my hand at baking my own doughnuts.

I used a Wilton  recipe right off of the doughnut pan packaging, thinking they would kind of turn out like the powdered sugar doughnuts that come along with the chocolate ones.

I got my ingredients, including cake flour, together.

And I mixed them all up while the oven was pre-heating.

I kind of expected the doughnut dough to be more cake batter like, but it was dough, which I guess makes sense. . .

It made it difficult to fill the pan without making a mess. Obviously I overfilled the doughnut pan. Would I have it any other way but messing up a baking project?

My doughnuts became muffins in the front. . .

And sort of doughnuts in the back. I dipped the cooled doughnuts in a mix of butter, sugar, and cinnamon, and let them cool before wrapping them up for snacks and breakfast. They didn’t really satisfy my doughnut craving, but they were good, slightly sweet, very cake-like, and with a nice hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. I should also add that the doughnuts came out of the pan really easily and cleanly. Despite claims of non-stick, I often find that pans love to cling to my desserts. I guess it was a semi-success.

What’s your favorite kind of doughnut?

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In completely unrelated, but far more important news, my cousin lost his entire home in a fire this past weekend. Thankfully he and his roommates were all okay, but they lost everything. The community of Asheville, NC has really come together to help them. I am not sure if I have any Asheville readers, but if you are from around there, a few businesses are hosting benefits. I am always grateful to businesses willing to help the community, and it really hits home when it’s your own family. Scary.

http://www.mountainx.com/article/40744/How-to-help-the-men-who-lost-their-home-to-a-fire-on-Friday