This has to be the best bad idea I’ve had in a while: buying a doughnut pan.
I resisted and resisted for as long as I could, knowing that once I had one of these things in my house I’d have no choice but to bake doughnuts as often as I wanted (could I handle this?). But then as I was contemplating ideas for Valentine’s Day treats – especially those that pair well with coffee (see the Seattle’s Best Coffee Giveaway at the end of today’s post! 5 winners!) – the thought of heart-shaped doughnuts entered my head. End of story: within 45 seconds, I’d reached for my phone, pulled up the Amazon app, found a Wilton heart-shaped doughnut pan for $10 and pressed the button for one-click ordering. And it was done.
I must say that baking doughnuts was far easier and way more fun than I anticipated. Help! The batter takes about the same amount of effort as pancakes or waffles and they only take 5 minutes in the oven to bake. They’re somewhere between a muffin and a madeleine – like a muffin that holds its shape without crumbling much. Where the magic really happens is with the glaze. I made both the pink raspberry glaze from the Wilton package (pretty!) and Alton Brown’s chocolate glaze which were just the right sweet finishing touches for these doughnuts. And then, of course, I had fun with a few different kinds of sprinkles.
Seattle’s Best Coffee Giveaway! FIVE Winners!
You can’t have doughnuts without coffee. Enter to win a sampler pack of Seattle’s Best Coffee, featuring its new Level system that makes it easy to choose a blend that matches your taste preferences from a mild, light, crisp Level 1 to a bold, dark and intense Level 5. The sampler pack contains each of the five Levels.
To enter: [THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED] Leave a comment on this post telling us how you like your coffee. (Ex: I like bold roasts – but still decaf – with a splash of lowfat milk and one Splenda.)
One entry per person, please. The contest ends this Friday, February 4 at 12 PM PST. FIVE winners will be selected at random and announced in this post later that day. This giveaway is open to those with U.S. and Canadian addresses only.
** UPDATE (2/4/11) : Congrats to the winners!
#23 – David
#67 – Victoria Furin
#13 – Sharlene
#121 – Wendy
#50 – Ellen S.
Baked Chocolate Doughnuts
From the Wilton Heart Doughnut Pan package
Makes 24 doughnuts
INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups cake flour, sifted
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray (I used Pam for Baking).
In large mixing bowl, sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add buttermilk, eggs, oil and vanilla; mix gently until just combined. Fill each doughnut cup approximately 1/2 full (2 tablespoons batter).
Bake 4-5 minutes or until the tops of the doughnuts spring back when touched. Let cool in pan for 3 minutes before removing. Repeat with remaining batter. Finish doughnuts with desired toppings. Doughnuts are best served fresh.
Raspberry Glaze
From the Wilton Heart Doughnut Pan package
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 tablespoon milk
Pink food color (optional – I didn’t use it)
DIRECTIONS:
In small bowl, stir together sugar, jam and milk; mix until sugar is completely dissolved. Mix in color if desired. Use immediately to glaze doughnuts.
Chocolate Glaze
From Alton Brown on FoodNetwork.com
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
DIRECTIONS:
Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the confectioners’ sugar, and whisk until smooth. Place the mixture over a bowl of warm water and dip the doughnuts immediately. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving.
Thanks to Seattle’s Best Coffee for providing the sampler packs for today’s giveaway.
I like my coffee with vanilla soy milk. It adds a little nutty flavor that makes me smile.
I like bold roasts but with vanilla creamer and sugar!
I did not need to read this. Evil! And now I want one….
These are adorable Kathy! I love the heart shape pan and it’s perfect for making a sweet treat on Valentine’s morning. And I love that these are baked.
I actually just gave up coffee for a little bit but the hubby loves coffee. Before I used to like my coffee with a little bit of vanilla almond milk and sweetened with stevia.
Again, love the doughnuts! Too cute!
These are so cute! Perfect for the day of love:)
I was so fixated on the donuts, pan, and glazes, I didn’t even realize there was a giveaway attached. Bwahaha. You don’t need to enter me, since I don’t drink coffee 🙁
I like my hazelnut coffee, with sugar-free hazelnut creamer, 2 t. splenda and a dash of cardamonn. Bliss!
Feel kinda gyped… I don’t drink coffee, I drink tea. I was going to enter it for my Mom but I have no idea how she drinks it except with a bit of milk. She won’t let me make it as the first time I did I aparently made sludge… undrinkable sludge.
It’s never good to do that to a coffee drinker on a monday morning…
She wasn’t very amused.
I hope I made you at least snort as you read your comments!
Cheers!
M
Mmm, what could be better than chocolate doughnuts and coffee?! I like a bold, smoky roast, but I cut it with 1/2 generic decaf. Dress it with a splash of fat-free 1/2&1/2 and a teaspoon of raw sugar!
I like a bold roast, brewed strong, but not overly acidic. 10% or 18% cream, but can’t abide milk even whole milk, unless its a latte. No sugar, and please don’t even stir my cup with the spoon you stirred sugar into yours with. If its morning, high test is great, but after noon, it had better be decaf or I’ll be up all night.
These donuts are super cute!
I love coffee (decaf) with lots of milk.
I like strong coffee with a splash of milk and sugar. 🙂
I usually go for half-and-half and a packet of sugar. I definitely need to invest in a doughnut pan! These look so perfect!
I have been contemplating buying a donut pan for awhile now; you have convinced me to do it!! I will be checking out Amazon later today and ordering one! After all, baked donuts are much healthier than fried donuts, right?? 🙂
I like my coffee with lots of foo-foo in it; flavored creamer, sugar, and even some chocolate once in awhile. 🙂
I like coffee dark dark dark and black. Why mess with something that is naturally so good? 🙂
I like my coffee like sludge. No joke. Very high bean to water ratio. I like super dark, robust roasts, and I drink it black. Mmm, best way to start the day.
Wow, these are so pretty! Just clicked over from one of the photo sites, and had to take a peak;-)
A decaf coffee with a splash of skim milk and brown sugar is my favorite morning drink. It would go perfect with one of these doughnuts!! I’m definitely doing this for Valentine’s Day!!
i like my coffee with lots of milk and sugar! i can’t drink it boldly.
I like very strong coffee with 1 Splenda & some half & half. Love the doughnuts!
i like iced decaf cap …always iced…sometimes with mocha shots!
Those donuts are so flippin’ cute, and I need to go get myself a pan like that!
Coffee: Dark, earthy roasts with milk.
I like my coffee fullbodied and robust. Living in the New Orleans area, we drink our coffee with chicory and milk (Cafe Au Lait).
I like my coffee strong – preferably dark or French roast – with milk or creamer only. If it’s good coffee, I don’t need any sweetener. Amount of sugar needed = inverse proportion to quality of coffee.
I like my coffee with cream and sugar
Bold roast, black, from a french press.
Watch the time (4 minutes!) and it’s hard to go wrong.
I like a medium to dark roast – black 🙂
Black and Bold
I like my Coffee loaded! Cream and Sugar, and some Irish Cream mixed in there too! 😉
Janene Scarborough
neenersisme42@yahoo.com
The biggest thing when it comes to coffee is that I’m not a fan of the flavored creamers or the flavored coffees. I like my coffee smooth, dark, and black. If I want a touch of sweetness, I opt for a little Torani Vanilla Syrup and a splash of half & half. In general, if the coffee is good, why on earth would I want to cover it up with additives?! 🙂
I like my coffee decaf with splenda! simple as that 🙂
spdls0215@yahoo.com
I like a medium to bold roast. 2 spoons of sugar with enough creamer to still see the richness of the coffee!
I like my coffee strong with a little raw sugar and a lot of half & half. (And maybe a few doughnuts now that I’ve seen how it it can be!)
I like a bold dark roast most often and I do take it black and most certainly with caffeine. I love Seattle’s Best…..
I like a medium to dark roast – black in my favorite mug 🙂
I like my coffee bold with a splash of half & half or french vanilla creamer. These pans look dangerous, but what a fun idea!
I like my coffee medium roast, big cup 3 sugars and a splash of milk.;) Those doughnuts look yummy !
I like my morning mocha Breve = Seattle Best Blend, a little hershey’s syrup with 1/2 & 1/2!
I love my coffee BOLD with sugar and half&half. 🙂
I like it half caff, bold, and with cream and sugar. mmmm…
I like Full Flavor Smooth Coffee. I add a little bit of Non dairy Mocha creamer and Stir up with a peppermint Candy cane.
I like full/French roasts with 2 Splendas and a tiny bit of cream or milk, just for a little bit of color. I love it bitter. The only time I’ll use a lot of cream is the holidays, when I use pumpkin spice.
I’m a classic coffee lover, just add half and half and some sugar. If I’m feeling adventurous, I add a little flavored creamer instead of half and half.
I’m generally not picky, but I really enjoy my coffee sweet. The coffee flavor alone won’t do it for me.
I like my coffee HOT from the coffee maker with irish creme creamer! Yummy!
I love coffee. Great post!
My fav ~ bolds. If I get coffee out – def bold almond flavor (or sugar free vanilla) and cream – the color is honey blonde when it’s right.
At home – sugar free French vanilla creamer. In my favorite cup.
I LOVE A RICH MELLOW COFFEE WITH REAL CREAM AND LOTS OF SUGAR. THAT WILL MAKE ANY MORNING START WITH A BANG OR A COLD WINTER DAY TURN INTO A BRIGHT SUNNY ONE!
I like my coffee with French Vanilla Creamer and sugar. I like it sort of medium mild . Regular coffee in the morning and decaf later on .
I love Seattle’s Best medium roast level 3 with sugar only. Had it once and fell in love. It is good enough to call it dessert. Now I have it on hand to fix for special occasions since it is so hard to find in my area. But I have to have the caffeine. I’m sorry, but it just isn’t coffee without the punch.
First thanks for the donut recipe ! So cute! I am running out to get one, so many
recipes I thought of !
My favorite is Level 5 for Seattle’s Best …. Although I tried them all and love
the taste of each one.
I feel a bit guilty confessing my secret………..I put Cool Whip in my cup of coffee
swirl it around that then a scoop on top !
Eat your heart out “Starbucks” !!!!!!