Baked Carrot Cake Donut Holes With Cream Cheese Buttercream Food

BAKED CARROT CAKE DONUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a donut pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together egg and brown sugar until combined and caramel in color. Add milk, oil, and vanilla and stir to combine.
• Add bowl of dry ingredients to bowl of wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Add grated carrots and stir until thoroughly combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, filling each 2/3 full. The easiest way to fill them is to use a pastry bag (or a plastic bag with a hole cut into the corner). Bake for 13-15 minutes (14 minutes is perfect for me), until set and golden. Let set in pan for a minute or two, and then remove from pan and let cool completely on wire racks.
• In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and butter. Use a hand mixer to beat on high speed until combined and smooth.
• Add powdered sugar, and beat again start on low speed then increasing to high speed to thoroughly combine.
• Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time, beating to combine after each addition, until you've reached a consistency that will be good for dipping (but not so thin that's it's liquidy).
• Dip the top of each donut in the icing, twisting as you remove it. Use a small spatula or knife to smooth out the tops.
• Top with chopped nuts, serve and enjoy!

BAKED CARROT CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 6-cavity doughnut pans or one 12-cavity muffin pan with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and ginger. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, milk, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla. Fold the carrots and raisins into the wet mixture, then fold the dry flour mixture into the wet.
• Transfer the batter to a large pastry bag or resealable plastic bag. Cut a 1/4-inch hole in the corner of the bag, then squeeze the batter evenly into the 12 cavities. Bake until golden and set, rotating the pans halfway through, 14 to 16 minutes. A toothpick inserted into a doughnut should come out with moist crumbs attached.
• Let the doughnuts cool in the pan for a few minutes, then tip them out onto a cooling rack to cool.
• To prepare the glaze, gently heat the cream cheese in a wide, shallow bowl in short 5-second bursts in the microwave until warm and runny. Whisk in the sugar. Dip the top of each doughnut into the glaze. (If the glaze gets too thick as it cools, you can pop it in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds at a time.) These are best the day they're made.

CARROT CAKE DONUT HOLES WITH CREAM CHEESE DIP

Steps:

• Whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt together in a large bowl.
• Combine milk, crushed pineapple, and egg in a small bowl. Stir into the flour mixture. Add melted butter; mix until a soft dough forms. Fold in carrots and coconut.
• Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a large pot to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a wire rack or baking sheet with paper towels.
• Scoop a few tablespoons of dough into the hot oil using a small ice cream scoop. Fry donut holes until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer donut holes to the paper towels using a slotted spoon; let drain and cool slightly. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Whisk white sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Roll donut holes in sugar mixture.
• Beat cream cheese and 1 tablespoon butter together in a bowl until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar until dip is well-blended and fluffy. Stir in vanilla extract and 1 pinch salt. Serve donut holes with cream cheese dip.