Donut babies! Even though baked donuts are not the same as fried-&-true donuts, I still love them. They may not have the crisp exterior of their fried cousins, but they are easier to make at home and are still just as sweet. I love mini donuts because a) they’re cute and b) they’re just two bites, which means more donuts for your face. These banana cuties are covered in ganache and sprinkled with peanuts because I like a little crunch with my donut shaped cakes slathered in chocolate. Okay?
The banana batter comes together quickly and we brown the butter because we’re already melting it, so it’s the right thing to do. There’s a little spice because, in case the internet hasn’t told you, it’s fall. The chocolate ganache is glossy and just sets up so there’s just the littlest bit of resistance when you bite into the yielding pillow of banana cake goodness. I suggest using already roasted salted peanuts because let’s make the road to these donuts easier if we can and because a little salted, textural contrast is always a welcome thing in dessert-land.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 ripe bananas
- ½ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup chopped dark chocolate
- ½ cup cream
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and spray a mini donut pan lightly with cooking spray.
- Start by browning the butter. In a small skillet over medium heat melt the butter, the melted butter will begin to foam, stir occasionally until the foam subsides and the solids in the butter turn a deep, golden brown and smell nutty like toffee. Remove from the heat and pour into a dish to cool.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and kosher salt.
- In another bowl mash the bananas until smooth, mix in the cooled browned butter, brown sugar, ½ cup milk, egg, and vanilla until well combined. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and fold to combine. Spoon or pipe the banana batter into the mini donut molds, until you get to the top of each center post. Bake for about 9 minutes or until the donuts spring back to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool about 3 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batter, spraying the pan with cooking spray between batches as needed.
- Make the ganache by heating the cream in a saucepan (or microwave) until hot, just before boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in a bowl and let it sit for a few minutes to melt the chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Dip the donuts into the ganache and set on a wire rack, sprinkle with peanuts.
Michelle @ Hummingbird High
AH these are so adorable!!! Everybody I know always hates on baked donuts, but they’re just fools.
cindy
FOOLS!
Kayla
Yummmm, I’ll take 10! 😉
cindy
Done! 🙂
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
I want to wear each adorable donut as a ring on each finger and then just eat them off throughout the day. Totally NOT a waste of a day, right?!
cindy
Totally a productive day!
My Dish is Bomb
I love the deep flavour of browned butter and combined with banana and chocolate these doughnuts sound right up my alley! And mini — then I can eat as many as I want! 🙂
cindy
Right?!
Jess @ alittlealice.com
baked donuts for the win!! these look suuuper cute!! and banana and chocolate is a match made in heaven 😀
cindy
Yes! Thanks, Jess!
Danguole
Melting butter without browning it is a crime. Like, at least a misdeameanor, and not even the fun kind!
Danguole
*misdemeanor. I know words!
cindy
Words are hard! I get it 😀
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe
I’ve been swooning over these donut babies ever since I saw their creation via Snapchat. I want to stuff my face with the whole batch! Mini things don’t have calories…right?
cindy
Fact (I wish)!
stephanie
these guys look like absolute perfection. i love baked donuts and just don’t get the haters 🙂
also, textural salty contrast = YES!
cindy
Right?! We don’t have to compare to love them both 🙂
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen
These are the cutest! Banana + chocolate is the best combination too – love it! 🙂
annie
Heart-eye emoji!!! These are so cute. And I am a sucker for ganache. Since they are mini, it means I get to have more, right?