Easy Donut Muffins -1 Year Anniversary Post:)

Wow it's been one year of blogging so far. It really makes me feel like I should learn more about blogging. I got going on this blogging trip with no knowledge of blogging at all and not much has changed. I really need to devote a little more time to investigate more blogging options. So many widget and gadgets that I know nothing about....... Well year one was fun.....hopefully year two will be even better:)

With last weeks PAC meeting out of the way, it should have left me with plenty of time to deal with the things I have let slide......like housework and leave me with even extra time to do something for me. You'd think.....wouldn't you?? Time here just seems to evaporate as soon as it is freed up:( Well it's the weekend now and time to do some fun things.....I hope! I'm on a little mission now to locate a recipe I came across a few years ago. It was not in the book I thought it was in......but I'll track it down and try to make some yummy homemade lemonade. (I found a similar one, but it needs some tweaking)......be back with that recipe soon!

Well here is a little bit of what I've been up to. Since I like to bring baking to each PAC meeting, I am nearing the end of of my repertoire of favourite baked goods. I figured I hadn't brought these little lovelies yet so I gave them a whirl again. I personally do not like cake donuts, so they are not my favourites. I do however have lots of people say they like them, so I think they are quite good.....or people are very polite. So if you like cake donuts, these taste very much like the classic cinnamon sugar coated cake donut, and if you make them in a mini muffin pan, like I do, they end up looking very much like donut holes. This recipe comes from Taunton's Fine Cooking Magazine #42 from January 2001. I remembered as I was making them that I usually make a half recipe...too late....I made a billion of the little guys and was forced to push them on the neighbours.....oh well:)

Doughnut Muffins

12 oz (24 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
6 cups (1 lb 11oz ) all purpose flour
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 2/3 cups milk
1/4 cup buttermilk

For Dipping
8 oz (16tbsp) butter, melted or more
2 cups sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Muffins- Put a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350F. In a stand mixer or a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar very well. Probably 3-5 minutes. The mixture will become pale yellow and the grains of sugar will become less obvious. Beat in the eggs one at a time, until just mixed in. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Combine the milk and the buttermilk. With a wooden spoon gently mix in 1/4 of the dry mixture, then mix in a third of the wet just until mixed. Repeat ending with the last dry portion. Mix until combined and smooth but do not over mix. Grease and flour a standard sized muffin tin. Scoop enough batter into each cup so that the top of the batter is even with the rim of the cup, about a 1/2 cup. (A #16 ice cream scoop gives the perfect amount) Bake the muffins until firm to the touch, about 30-35 minutes. I use a mini muffin pan with a small scoop and bake about 15 minutes.

To coat- Melt the butter for the dipping mixture. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl. When the muffins are just cool enough to handle, remove them from the pan, dip them into or brush them with melted butter, and then roll them into the cinnamon sugar mixture.