Baked Cherry Donuts

June 7, 2020
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What happens when it’s National Donut Day and it’s cherry season? Hmmm…Baked Cherry Donuts, of course! This recipe combines the tenderness of a buttermilk batter with dollops of cherry preserves to make a lovely BAKED donut.

I emphasize the baked part, because it just feels healthier. I have to confess that I will skip over any recipe that requires me to fry…not only does it destroy my cooktop and smell up my kitchen for days, I just can’t justify all those extra calories. So, when I saw this recipe to bake the donuts…well, be still my beating heart!! I hope you like these as much as I do!

Baked Cherry Donuts

Makes: 8 servings

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

2 cups cake flour (see note below)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp pure almond extract

6 tbsp cherry preserves

Topping:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425°F and spray a standard doughnut pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together cake flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and almond extract in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture and fold in just until incorporated.

Spoon batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and fill each doughnut cup 3/4 full. Place cherry preserves in a small bowl and warm briefly in the microwave (about 10 seconds). Drop spoonfuls of cherry preserves (about 1/2 teaspoon each) over the batter; use a toothpick to very gently swirl the preserves into the batter. Tap the pan sharply to reduce air bubbles.Bake about 8 to 9 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched. Turn doughnuts out on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter, allowing pan to cool completely and spraying with nonstick spray in between batches.

Set rack with cooled doughnuts over a piece of waxed paper. Heat butter in a microwave-safe bowl until melted. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Dip doughnut tops lightly in melted butter, and dunk in cinnamon sugar; repeat with other side. If you have extra cinnamon sugar, dunk tops again.

Doughnuts taste best the first day – store leftover doughnuts at room temperature and warm briefly before serving or wrap well and freeze up to 2 months.

Chef’s Note: To make your own cake flour, place 4 tablespoons cornstarch in an empty 2-cup measure, then top up with flour. Sift the mixture several times to evenly distribute the cornstarch.