spiced sugar pumpkin doughnuts

I have logged an absurd number of hours in the kitchen this past week. It started off with a chocolate peanut butter cake sent off to compete against various other desserts, then continued with the planning and cooking of a mini appetizer feast for a certain parent’s fiftieth birthday party which had me on my feet for days as I cranked out three different kinds of strudel, walnut crostini, deviled eggs, candied nuts and of course a birthday cake and now I am slated to make yet another cake (three cakes in less than seven days — surely there is some law against this) for my best friend’s graduation party this weekend. Sadly I have no pictures of this week’s efforts, but you’ll have to trust me that it was worth my now aching feet, well after I get a pedicure it will all be worth it…

The only things I did manage to capture by way of camera were these doughnuts — did I forget to mention I made these too — which were definitely worth putting my feet through another day of standing on hard tile. They were surprisingly easy to make, though something about deep frying terrifies my arms and my heart and my arteries, but mainly my arms. After working with hot oil my arms somehow end up looking like they are diseased or came out of a horror flick with red splotches and burn spatters up and down. But they’re doughnuts, it’s worth it right?

Despite everything I have brought upon myself, these are undoubtedly the best thing that has passed through the kitchen this week — or perhaps I just really, really like fried dough, like a lot. The dough came together quickly and the cooking took less than 15 minutes, beginning to end. And the eating… well, faintly spiced, lightly pumpkin flavored, soft and cake-like texture dipped in spiced sugar, oh these are so very worth it.

Sugar Spiced Pumpkin Doughnuts
Adapted from Bon Apppetit

Makes 24 doughnuts + 24 doughnut holes

BA Note: Use a clip-on deep fry thermometer to gauge the oil temperature when frying these doughnuts: too low and they’ll absorb oil, turning leaden and soggy; too high and they’ll burn before the insides are cooked through.

Meg Note: I have it on good authority that solid shortening is preferred over oil when frying. It is believed that because shortening, unlike oil, is solid at room temperature, once your food has been fried and cooled, it seeps less oil into the stuff around it and will feel less greasy on the tongue. Myself, having an extreme abhorrence to shortening, used the oil method. There was no spitting or splattering of oil if you gently slide your doughnuts into the oil using a slotted spoon and if you keep your oil at the recommended temperature when frying and let your doughnuts sit and “de-grease” on a paper towel lined tray before submerging them in spiced sugar, they will not feel or taste greasy. If you do use shortening, add enough to a deep-sided pan to measure 1 1/2-inches. Using your candy thermometer, keep the temperature of the shortening between 365°F and 370°F.

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus one tablespoon buttermilk
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
Canola oil, for deep frying

Spiced Sugar Topping:
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg

For spiced sugar: Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl to blend.

For doughnuts: Whisk first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until blended (mixture will be grainy). Beat in egg, then yolks and vanilla. Gradually beat in buttermilk; beat in pumpkin in 4 additions. Using a rubber spatula, fold in dry ingredients in 4 additions, blending gently after each addition. Cover with plastic; chill for 3 hours.

Sprinkle 2 rimmed baking sheets lightly with flour. Roll out 1/3 of dough on a floured surface to 1/2 to 2/3-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch diameter round cutter, cut out dough rounds. Arrange on sheets. Repeat with remaining dough in 2 more batches. Gather dough scraps. Press out dough and cut out more dough rounds until all dough is used.

Using 1-inch diameter round cutter, cut out center of each dough round to make doughnuts and doughnut holes.

Line 2 baking sheets with several layers of paper towels. Pour oil into large deep skillet to depth of 1 1/2 inches. Attach deep fry thermometer and heat oil to 365°F to 370°F. Fry doughnut holes in 2 batches until golden brown, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Fry doughnuts, 3 or 4 at a time, until golden brown, adjusting heat to maintain temperature, about 1 minute per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to paper towels to drain, Cool completely.

Add doughnuts and doughnut holes to bowl of spiced sugar and toss to coat. Serve immediately.