Ma Niche : donut

Ahh... the pumpkin season is in and everyone everywhere is cooking and baking with pumpkins... I too have been trying out dishes with pumpkin, some of which I feel are share-worthy. but lately time has been a bit of a constraint for me and I have been finding it difficult to sit and jot down the details before i forget them. anyway i do remember my take on this lovely Pumpkin and Cheese Spice recipe which lead to these little donuts cakes..

these donuts are pretty gorgeous with their blend of spices. they are soft and fluffy and a real delight with a cup of 'masala chai.' agreed that they do not look as tempting and irresistible as i am describing them to be... but my impatience with creaming the cheese is to be blamed for that rather than the recipe. the recipe is full-proof and wonderful and really deserves better photographs to testify how good it is. I apologize for the poor pictures and promise to upload better ones when i make the next batch.... but for now these will have to do... since today is the reveal date of Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge and for this round Sheryl chose Pumpkin and Cream Cheese as the star ingredients...

now a few things before i go on to the recipe.... the original recipe was for mini cake loaves which were baked at 350 degrees F. since I was a keen on trying the cold oven method, I baked them at 325 degrees F. I am not sure if or how that might have altered the texture of the cake, but I am pretty satisfied with the way it turned out... so i guess i'll stick to the cold oven method for these donuts... but if you feel otherwise do as the original recipe says... and bake the donuts at 350 degrees F.

Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Donut Cakes Adapted from An Edible Mosaic
Preparation Time : 15 minutes Cooking Time : 20 minutes Yield : 6 mini donut cakes + 5 mini cupcakes or 10 mini donut cakes ingredients for the cheese batter 4 oz cream cheese 1 small egg, room temperature, lightly beaten 1/8 cup confectioner's sugar 1/4 tsp vanilla extract for the pumpkin cake batter 3/8 cup light brown sugar, packed 1 large egg 3/8 cup pumpkin puree, homemade or canned (I used canned) 1 tbsp canola oil 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 5/8 (80 gms) cup all purpose flour 5/8 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 3/8 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground ginger butter to grease the pan - instructions preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease the mini donut/muffin pans with butter. for the cream cheese batter, soften the cream cheese in the microwave(I did not do this but I think this step is important for a smooth cream cheese batter.) then using a electric handmixer, beat all the ingredients until a smooth and creamy batter is obtained. sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices and keep aside. in a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar and the egg until light and fluffy. stir in the oil and vanilla extract. then gradually fold in the dry ingredient mixture, taking care not to over-mix. finally spoon 11/2 tbsps of the batter into each of the mini donut/muffin molds, distributing as evenly as possible pour the cheese batter on top and bake the donuts/muffins in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or a tooth-pick inserted comes out clean. allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to complete cooling.

Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Donut Cakes

Adapted from An Edible Mosaic

Preparation Time : 15 minutes Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Yield : 6 mini donut cakes + 5 mini cupcakes or 10 mini donut cakes

ingredients

for the cheese batter

4 oz cream cheese
1 small egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
1/8 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

for the pumpkin cake batter

3/8 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
3/8 cup pumpkin puree, homemade or canned (I used canned)
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5/8 (80 gms) cup all purpose flour
5/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

butter to grease the pan

instructions

preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease the mini donut/muffin pans with butter.
for the cream cheese batter, soften the cream cheese in the microwave(I did not do this but I think this step is important for a smooth cream cheese batter.) then using a electric handmixer, beat all the ingredients until a smooth and creamy batter is obtained.
sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices and keep aside.
in a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar and the egg until light and fluffy.
stir in the oil and vanilla extract. then gradually fold in the dry ingredient mixture, taking care not to over-mix.
finally spoon 11/2 tbsps of the batter into each of the mini donut/muffin molds, distributing as evenly as possible pour the cheese batter on top and bake the donuts/muffins in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or a tooth-pick inserted comes out clean.
allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to complete cooling.