Doughnut Cupcakes!

I got this recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery's 'Home Sweet Home' cookbook. It is the ultimate indulgence and effectively two cakes in one, YAY! Always a good start!

 

I dont usually give the recipes for my bakes but I am in this case on request from a good friend so give it a go and enjoy the results....

If like me you are on a diet then you may allow yourself to sniff the cakes and look at them but unless you want to be on the treadmill for an extra couple of days DO NOT eat these! They are in no way low in fat or sugar....

 

 

Ingredients

 

For the sponge:

• 70g (2 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 210g (7 1/2oz) plain flour
• 250g (9oz) caster sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 210 ml (7 1/2 floz) whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 100g (3 1/2oz) strawberry jam (or just spoon it straight from the jar and save yourself the bother of weighing it)

 

For the cinnamon sugar:

 

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) caster sugar

 

 

For the doughnuts:

 

• 250g (9oz) plain flour plus extra for dusting
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 35g (1 1/4oz) cold unsalted butter cubed
• 35g (1 1/4oz) caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 125ml (4 1/2 fl oz) whole milk
• 1 litre (1 3/4 pints) sunflower oil for frying

 

 

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees centigrade (gas mark 3, 325 farenheight) and line a muffin tin with paper cases.

 

1. First make the sponge. In a free standing electric mixer with the paddle attachment (or hand held mixer, or good old muscle) mix the butter, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together to form crumbs.
2. In a jug mix together milk and eggs
3. Mix the wet and dry ingredients til they form a smooth batter. ( this is quite a wet mix and if like me you are used to the equal measures method of cake baking and getting quite a stiff batter dont be phased by the liquid type batter this makes)
4. Fill the paper cases to 2/3 full
5. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown, check they are cooked by lightly pressing the top of the cake and seeing if it springs back.
6. Leave to cool on a wire rack
7. While the cakes are cooking get your cinnamon sugar ready, I wont patronise you by explaining in detail how, just chuck the ingredients in a bowl and stir!
8. Now for the doughnuts (in my opinion the best bit) Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl and rub in the butter to form crumbs. Add the sugar and mix.
9. Put wet ingredients in a jug and whisk to break down the egg, add to the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough.
10. Turn out onto a lightly foured surface and either roll it out using a rolling pin or do like i did and squish it down with your hands. Cut the shapes you want (book says small rounds but i didnt have the right cutter so i just used a knife and cut into squares)
11. Heat the oil in a large saucepan giving yourself plenty of room inside it. Using a slotted spoon lower the doughnuts a few at a time into the oil and fry until medium golden brown, carefully lift out of the oil and set onto kitchen towel to drain.
12. Let them cool for a few minutes before tossing in the cinnamon sugar and setting aside to cool fully.
13. put the butter, icing sugar and cinnamon into a bowl and mix til there are no big bits of butter then slowly add the milk. Now whisk like the holy clappers of hell OR let a machine do it for you until the frosting is light and fluffy.
14. Gently cut a small well into the top of your cupcakes and spoon in half a tsp of strawberry jam before replacing the top. swirl on cinnamon frosting and top with a little doughnut.

 

It sounds like alot of work and to be honest it is if you arent used to baking on a daily basis like me but it is well worth it!!!!