Baked Applesauce Doughnuts

I am finally ready to talk about my complete failure at making baked applesauce doughnuts. Well, maybe not a complete failure. My son said he liked them (isn't that sweet). The recipe is from the same book that I got the Chocolate Buttermilk Muffin recipe from. It is called Breakfast All Day by Edon Waycott. I doubt that my failure at making the recipe had anything to do with the recipe itself. I think it probably had something to do with my lack of expertise at bread baking of any type. This recipe called for kneading. I don't knead very well. I also substituted Egg Beaters for a whole egg, which may also have contributed to the problem. Oh yeah, I also substituted powdered sugar for granulated sugar in the recipe. If you are a baking expert, please let me know if any of these things or all of these things combined would cause my doughnut disaster. Yes, that's right I had two food-related disasters in the same weekend. These doughnuts came out very heavy and kinda hard. It was almost funny. I vow to find a baked applesauce doughnut recipe that works for me. I also need to find a doughnut cutter. I had several but I probably gave them away. They are harder to find than you might think. I wound up using a glass and a small pill bottle cap to make the doughnut "holes." Believe me, with the thickness of my dough it wasn't easy. The dough reminded me more of a pound cake than a doughnut. If I threw one of these babies across a room, I could probably do some damage!

Baked Applesauce Doughnuts

1 large egg

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbls safflower oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbls baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

2 tsps ground cinnamon

For the Topping:

3 tbls unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and applesauce. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend. Form into a ball and knead lightly on a floured surface until a soft dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease well.

Roll out the chilled dough (it will still be soft and slightly sticky) into a 3/4 inch thick circle on a well-floured surface. Flouring a doughnut cutter before each cut, cut out 12 doughnuts and "holes," rerolling the scraps when necessary. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly browned. While still warm, brush the tops and sides with the melted butter and dip into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Makes 12 doughnuts and 12 "holes."

The Creative Cook

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

I was reading a blog yesterday that said "food tastes better when it has a story." I tend to agree. Almost every recipe I try comes with a story. This recipe came to me from the newspaper. In my little corner of Maryland, we read the Baltimore Sun newspaper. Don't get me started on critiquing that paper. In any event, every Wednesday they run recipes in the paper. Years ago, shortly after I got married I had the bright idea to start my own cookbook with recipes from various magazines and newspapers. Most of those recipes still sit in a photo album in my china cabinet unused and untested. Since my son loves chocolate, I have made this one for Banana Chocolate Chip Bread many times over the years. In fact, I made it last Friday. My father-in-law was down visiting us from New York (well he was actually up from Myrtle Beach but that is another story) for the NCAA Tournament. He and my husband got into the banana bread before I could start taking pictures. That is why my picture shows a half-eaten cake. Both these guys ate it frequently over the weekend for breakfast and for a snack. That is a testament to how good it tastes.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Makes 1 loaf

2 cups flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 small bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup pancake & waffle syrup (I used 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup honey)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I never use nuts - my son is allergic)


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

Beat eggs in a small bowl; stir in bananas, syrup, oil and milk. Add to the flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Stir inn chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into a greased 9-by-5 inch loaf pan.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. For easier slicing, wrap bread and store overnight.



The Creative Cook