Little Gem Cupcake Donuts
I was in my kitchen thinking about when I was younger with my Grandmother "Mimi" in the kitchen. I remember how she always loved cakes, chocolate and vanilla glaze. Indeed, Mimi was a great baker and a cook as well, but her love was chocolate, anything with chocolate! She stayed fit all her life eating chocolate and cakes and walking several miles daily, even in the rain. I remember spending summers and winters with her and after we would eat a slice of vanilla chocolate cake, we would put our coats on to walk for miles and chat away. She had the most delicious Belgium chocolates and she always had a fresh baked cake ready for me to glaze when I walked in the door. Such great memories that I will cherish. She was always so sweet and loving; thanks for the great memories "Mimi".
So, I decided to play in la cucina and I created these delicious and adorable cupcake donuts. Not fried, but baked cupcake donuts with a simple cake batter. I used different sprinkles; chocolate (of course), coconut and a red sugar sprinkle. These Little Gems are just one bite deliciousness!
Sprinkles; chocolate, red sugar and coconut
Little Gem Cupcake Donuts
Little Gem Cupcake Donuts Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup cake flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup organic natural cane sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1 Tblsp baking powder
3/4 cup organic soy milk (vanilla flavored)
1 whole egg
2 Tblsp unsalted butter (melted)
One large straw
Preheat oven to 425F
Butter the inside of a mini cupcake pan.
In a mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix well. Add milk, egg and melted butter and mix until well blended. Fill each cupcake cup 1/2 full. Bake about 6-8 minutes. To test touch the cake; if you lightly press on cake and if it springs back, it is done. Do not brown tops. Remove from oven and place on cookie cooling rack (keep the cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes before you remove them). Take a large straw and poke through the center of the cupcake to create a whole in the middle. Remove from pan and add glaze, sprinkles or any topping you would like to your Cupcake Donuts.
Variations:
2 Tablespoons of the following to create a different flavor:
Add Belgium Chocolate powder to make chocolate cupcake
Chai Tea instant powder
Green Tea instant powder
Instant Coffee (blend instant coffee in the soy milk)
Vanilla Glaze Frosting
This is the traditional vanila glaze that everyone knows how to make:
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2-4 tsp hot water
Mix melted butter, sugar and vanilla and stir together. Add hot water 1 tsp at a time until frosting consistency. Stir until smooth and shiny.
Recipe created and tested by Chef Sadie Laurenti Whitley in La Cucina Laurenti - recipe dedicated to my late Grandmother "Mimi".
Buon Appetito!
