doughnut muffins

As a kid, I was fascinated by the donut machine at Donut King. You'd see me hover by the side of the glass window watching the machine churn out donut after donut - it's really rather therapeutic. Now that I'm much older (and no longer a kid), things haven't changed all that much - I walked by a donut machine the other day and was telling the boy how fascinated I was by the machine; my fascination was met by a smile and a nod, I think the boy knows how crazy I am when it comes to anything food related.

I actually received a donut machine for X'mas one year - have yet to crack it open but this machine is nothing like the one you get at Donut King. When it comes to donuts, it needs oil and it needs to be fried and this machine contraption I have just doesn't quite cut it but I am curious as to how they might turn out (continuing my previous post, add donuts to the list of things which I have yet to try). So whilst I procrastinate about actually making proper donuts, I bring you a cheat's version of a donut in a muffin.

Grease a 12 cup muffin man. In a large bowl, beat together 175g softened unsalted butter and 200g caster sugar until light and creamy. Add in 2 lightly beaten eggs. Sift in 375g plain flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp bicarb soda, a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp nutmeg. Gently fold in 250mL milk. Spoon the mix into the prepared muffin tin. 

Bake in a 180 degrees celsius preheated oven for 20 minutes until the muffins are lightly brown and firm to the touch.

For the topping, mix together 100g caster sugar with 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Whilst the muffins are still warm from the oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle over with the cinnamon and sugar mix.

Enjoy warm or cold.

This recipe makes for a rather doughy muffin which isn't too unlike the texture of an actual donut. Great thing is that there's no frying involved (aka splattering oil which does scare me a bit) so something you can easily knock up when you're after a sugar and cinnamon donut fix.