Baked Cake Donuts with Vanilla Glaze

Baked Cake Donuts with Vanilla Glaze

Recipe By: MADE BY LIA
ecipe adapted from King Arthur flour cake donuts

Yield: 12-15 donuts

Donut Batter:

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or light oil of your choice)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
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1 1/4 -1 1/2 cup milk (room temperature)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a donut pan with pan spray.

In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer) combine the sugars, butter, oil and vanilla and beat until fluffy and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt & spices. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Make sure everything is mixed together and there are no lumps. Spoon the batter into the donut pans, or using a piping bag, pipe the mixture into the pans just slightly under the rim.

Bake the donuts for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are slightly golden and the cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before turning them out of the pans.

Vanilla Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 drop pink food color- optional

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla and heavy cream. You want a dip-able consistency, not too thick but not too thin! Add more or less cream if needed.

Stir in pink food color if desired.

Dip the donuts into the glaze and top with sprinkles of your choice! Try not to dig in until the glaze has set! Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Perfect treat for your sweet heart & so fun to make with your kids!!

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Yield 24 cupcakes or 48 mini cupcakes

 

Vanilla Bean Cake

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
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4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
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1 1/4 cup milk, room temperature
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3 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream butter & sugar in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light & fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl and mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla & vanilla bean.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder & salt.  

Add the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture alternating 1/3 at a time starting & ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until all ingredients are combined and batter is smooth.

Prepare your cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 of the way full. Place into the oven and bake until the cupcakes springs back when lightly touched. Place cupcakes on a wire wrack to cool before icing.

 

Strawberry Jam

12 oz frozen strawberries
1 cup sugar
zest and juice from ½ lemon

Directions

I love making homemade jam, it's so easy and makes all the difference! Place strawberries into saucepan; cook down over medium low heat until strawberries have lost their shape. Add sugar, lemon zest & lemon juice. Let simmer until thickened. Allow to cool before filling the cupcakes. 

Vanilla Bean Buttercream 

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2- 2 cups powdered sugar
1 vanilla bean
2 Tsp vanilla extract
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1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
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Fresh strawberries for garnish

 

DIRECTIONS

This buttercream is a labor of love & requires some patience but is so worth it! In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until light & fluffy (about 10 minutes). It should also look pale in color, about 2 shades lighter than when started. Slowly add in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition (approx 3-5 mins after each addition). Once all of your powdered sugar is added & it is at the sweetness level you like, add in vanilla and almond extracts, mix on medium speed for another 5 minutes. Lastly, add in the heavy cream & mix until incorporated.

Once cupcakes and jam are cool. Fill or top each cupcake with the strawberry jam. Then, using a large piping bag, fitted with a 1M or star tip, scoop in the icing. Starting at the edge, swirl the icing in a circular motion to the center of the cupcake. Top with fresh strawberries, yum! Perfect sweet for summer gatherings! 

Gooey Butter Cookies

Gooey Butter Cookies

Recipe By: MADE. BY LIA

Yield 24 cookies

4 oz Butter, softened
8 oz Cream cheese, softened
1 box White cake mix
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with hand held mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in vanilla and egg, mix until sooth and fluffy. Add in cake mix and mix until combined. Batter will be somewhat sticky.

With an ice cream scoop or table spoon form batter into 1-inch balls in your hand. Roll cookie dough balls in powdered sugar and place onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 12 minutes until cookies are set and bottoms are lightly golden. Remove from cookie sheets and place on cooling wracks. Once cool, dip tops into powdered sugar.

*Can be made ahead and frozen for several weeks. Place into tins, jars or air tight containers, perfect cookie for the holidays!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Recipe By: MADE. BY LIA

Yield 12 cupcakes

Pumpkin Spice Cupcake Batter

1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup sour cream
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2 eggs, room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract
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1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cloves

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Place both sugars, oil & pumpkin puree in a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix to combine. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg & cloves.
- Add the eggs & vanilla to the sugar/pumpkin mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition, scrape down the bowl. 
- Add 1/2 the flour, mix until incorporated, then add in sour cream and then add the remaining flour. Mix until batter is smooth. 
- With an ice cream scoop, scoop batter into cupcake liners.
- Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, until golden and cake springs back when lightly touched. 

Salted Caramel

1 cup sugar
2 tsp honey
3 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp coarse salt
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1 cup heavy cream
1/2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp bourbon (optional) 

Combine sugar, salt, honey & water in a saucepan, cook over low/medium heat until sugar dissolves & turns dark amber in color. Remove from heat, slowly whisk in heavy cream & butter. Return back to medium heat & cook till the temperature reaches 235-240 degrees. Let cool

 

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

1lb butter, unsalted, softened
1- 1 1/2 lb powdered sugar
1/2 vanilla bean or 4 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp heavy whipping cream 

Directions

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth & fluffy, slowly add powdered sugar, then add cream and vanilla bean, mix until smooth.

 

To Assemble

Place caramel into a piping bag and fill each cupcake. With a spatula spread vanilla bean buttercream onto cupcakes or use a piping bag and a star tip to make a swirl on top. Drizzle caramel on top of cupcakes for extra yumminess! 

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.