Baked Coffee, Coconut, and Cream Cheese Donuts

Guys, Happy National Donut/Doughnut Day! I’m sneaking in an extra post this week to celebrate because, donuts…obvs.

I made us Coffee, Coconut, & Cream Cheese Donuts! I realize that’s a mouthful–figuratively and literally, but they’re really so good. Last weekend when I picked up a mega-spread of donuts for Megan and I to try, I chose a coffee, coconut cheesecake number at the last minute and I am so glad I did! I can’t believe I almost just glazed on over it and let it sit there in the case waiting for someone else to eat it. It inspired me to make them at home…so I could have another. I mean, there are a lot of things happening in this donut, but they somehow don’t compete at all. The springy donut cake is flavored with just enough espresso to make it taste like coffee without any bitterness, there’s just a little more espresso in the frosting which compliments the smooth tang of the cream cheese so well, and the toasty coconut gives it a buttery, nutty aspect that brings everything together. It’s like coffee AND donuts in one bite…plus, cream cheese frosting.

These aren’t true-blue, fried-and-delicious donuts. I have a hard time making them at home because of two things: patience and vats of hot oil. Baked donuts, while not exactly the same thing as their fried brethren, are easy and still knock out that sweet tooth. Plus, they’re quick. If you have your shit together, you could have these in less than 30 minutes. #donutemoji

 

[recipe]

Coffee, Coconut, & Cream Cheese Donuts

About 1 dozen baked donuts, or 6 baked donuts and 18 (ish) minis.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

a few gratings of fresh nutmeg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 egg

2/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup brown sugar

for the icing:

4 ounces softened cream cheese

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1-2 teaspoons milk

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

toasted coconut for topping

Preheat oven to 350ºF and spray a donut pan with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk, espresso powder, egg, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and fold to combine. Either spoon or pipe the batter into the donut pan, filling nearly to the top of each well, and bake the donuts in the center of the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the tops of the donuts have risen, are dry, and spring back to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool about 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack. Repeat with the remaining batter.

While the donuts bake and cool, make the icing by stirring together all of the ingredients until well combined. If the icing seems too loose, add more confectioner’s sugar a few tablespoons at a time. If it is too stiff, add a bit more milk. Ice the donuts once they are cooled and top with coconut.

[/recipe]