Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

With the weather cold here I find myself baking a whole lot more that usual.  Is that strange?

There just seems to be something comforting about baking on the weekends and having a leisurely breakfast, especially if it is raining outside.  So looking through my Pinterest Boards for inspiration I decided to make baked doughnuts.  Because, they are healthier when baked right? 

So today's indulgence is going to be Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts because I LOVE anything chocolate (who doesn't?).  I rarely make doughnuts and haven't ever posted a recipe for them yet so here we go!  Don't be fooled by doughnuts as they are easy to make and you only need a specialty doughnut pan to bake them in.  I used this one here. 

BAKED CHOCOLATE CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Baked doughnuts are still an indulgence but since they are baked you lose all the fat from frying.  There is nothing better than the smell (and taste!) of hot chocolate cake doughnuts fresh from the oven!  If you can contain yourself and wait until they cool you can sprinkle powdered sugar on top for an extra special sweetness.  To be honest some of ours didn't make it that long!

Wonderfully moist, these chocolatey decadent cake doughnuts can be made in about 30 minutes.  You'll have a perfect breakfast treat, or snack for the weekend. 

Kitchen Tip:  The batter is thick and it is easiest to pipe the batter into the ring molds.  Use a piping bag or just a plastic zip lock bag and snip off the tip as a make shift piping bag.  This is what I did.  You'll have the doughnuts done in no time.  This recipe makes about 20 doughnuts so using two baking pan works.  If you don't have two just bake them in the one pan in batches.

Enjoy!

Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

makes 12

1 3/4 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two regular sized doughnut pans. If you don't have two pans, simply bake the batter in two batches.

In a large bowl, add the, flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, . Set aside.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and vinegar, and oil. Add to the dry ingredients. 

Mix until well combined.  Spoon the batter into a plastic bag and seal.  Cut off one tip to form a piping bag, and pipe the batter into the pan about almost full.  

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.

Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and after loosen their edges, turn out onto a cooling rack.  Allow to cool and then sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.  

adapted from King Arthur Flour