Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

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Homemade Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

Did you ever think or imagine making chocolate doughnuts at home? Well, now you can with this recipe for homemade doughnuts! Not just doughnuts but chocolate cake doughnuts!

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A True Story

One weekend while we were at the lake I decided I wanted to make old-fashioned chocolate cake doughnuts.

Lake life is definitely not like city life where you can just leave the house, take a drive to the local donut shop and buy a dozen donuts.

Oh no, if you want something like that while you are in the country or at the lake you have to make it yourself!

I had all the ingredients on hand but I did not have a donut cutter. I have two of them at home but I did not have one at the lake.

So, I told my husband at 11:00 that evening that I needed a donut cutter because I wanted to make doughnuts in the morning.

I pulled up a picture of one on the internet and showed him what I was talking about. I said, “Honey, I need a donut cutter like this”.

Shortly after we discussed the donut cutter he left and headed over to the machine shed.

He was probably gone for about one hour or so and when he came back he showed me what he had been doing.

He made me a donut cutter!

It was perfect! He had the right dimensions and everything. It was perfect! Yeah, I already said that but I was totally impressed.

I know he made it because he loves me but do you think maybe, just maybe, he was wanting some homemade chocolate cake donuts too? Wink Wink

Recipe for homemade chocolate cake doughnuts

Ingredients for doughnuts:

• 2 cups cake flour sifted
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup sour cream
• canola oil for frying doughnuts

Ingredients for glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 3-4 Tablespoons milk
• dash of vanilla extract.

Kitchen Tools:

Before we get to the instructions on how to make these old-fashioned chocolate doughnuts you should know this recipe deep fries the batter at 350 degrees.

I know, DEEP FRIED! But only in moderation. It’s not like we do it every day.

With that being said, “Deep Fried”, I highly recommend using a deep fryer that has adjustable temperature controls.

The reason I recommend using a deep fryer with controlled settings is because trying to control the heat on the stovetop can be very difficult.

I remember the first time I made these doughnuts on my stovetop the deep fry thermometer temperature fluctuated between 300-400 degrees.

This was very frustrating and in fact did lead to a few burnt doughnuts. Not acceptable in my book! This fryer works perfect as it has adjustable temperature settings!

Another bit of advice is whether you are deep frying on the stovetop or using an electric fryer to make doughnuts you should use a stainless steel spider to safely remove doughnuts from the hot grease.

A rolling pin is a must for this recipe too and if you are unable to gauge rolling out a 1/2 inch thick dough try using this adjustable rolling pin with removable rings. No more uneven dough! Love this!

Instructions:

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a mixing bowl or stand mixer beat butter and egg yolks until blended and lighter in color. Add sour cream and beat until smooth.

Add dry ingredients to mixer and continue mixing until well combined. The dough will be extremely sticky. Place dough in a shallow bowl and refrigerate.

Helpful hint: Before putting the dough in a bowl. First, spray bowl with cooking oil. Then take a moderate piece of plastic wrap and drape it over the bowl. Spray top side of plastic wrap. Add dough on top. Spray top of dough and cover with plastic wrap overhang and refrigerate for one hour.

Going From Dough to Doughnut

Remove dough from refrigerator, dust countertop with cake flour and roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness.

Using a doughnut cutter cut out doughnuts. Since the dough is very sticky keep a bowl of flour nearby as you may need for additional dusting of rolling pin or cutter. Matter of fact, dip the cutter in the flour with each cut.

With remaining dough form into balls the size of the doughnut holes.

Using a spatula gently lift dough and place on a sheet of wax paper. Place in freezer for about 5 minutes.

Frying Doughnuts

Heat oil to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Prepare a cookie sheet with paper towels on top and place a cooling rack on top of that so when removing doughnuts from hot grease the paper towels will catch any excess oil drippings.

Add doughnut holes to hot grease and cook for 30 seconds then flip them using a stainless steel spider and continue cooking for another 30-45 seconds. Remove cooked doughnut holes from hot grease and place on cooling rack.

Working with two cold doughnuts at a time gently remove the dough from wax paper and gently place into hot grease.

Cook for 2 minutes and flip doughnut over and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.

Using the stainless steel spider tool remove cooked doughnuts and place on cooling rack.

Continue the above steps for all cut out doughnuts.

Glaze Doughnuts

In a small bowl add sifted powdered sugar and 3 Tablespoons whole milk. Stir together until glaze is smooth and free of lumps.

Dip doughnut holes into glaze and return to cooling rack.

Pick up doughnut, turn it over face down into the glaze and return to cooling rack. Do this for all doughnuts. Any remaining glaze drizzle over all doughnuts.

Serve doughnuts immediately. Any doughnuts leftover place in a closed container. Consume doughnuts within two days.

Enjoy!

I AM EXCITED YOU ARE VIEWING JETT’S OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE DOUGHNUT RECIPE AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW IT TURNS OUT SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO MAKE IT! BE SURE TO USE THE HASHTAG ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

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