Baked Carrot Cake Donuts with Cream Cheese Glaze

You would think I would learn and maybe go to the doctor, but its that time of year again where my allergies kick-in.  Literally in less than 12 hours, I got back from Chicago on a Friday around 2 a.m., went to bed and woke up with a stuffy nose.  This is seriously a yearly occurrence, but instead of going to the doctor I just deal with it, drink some tea, and do things in my free time that make me feel better...like making donuts. Donuts I have been dreaming about since I made these chocolate ones back in August.  Plus, these are my first attempt to step my toe into the fall...I am not fully ready to pull my boots out of the closet or the pumpkin out of the pantry, but I am ready for the warm flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.  

These donuts came out exactly like I had literally hoped and dreamed they would.  They have the great warm flavors of cinnamon and ginger with the nutmeg and cloves leaving you wondering what the extra spices are.  I took James advice and tried out coconut on some, but topped other with my preference, toasted pecans to go along with the cream cheese glaze.  So you choose, but either way I would definitely recommend giving these a dry. Enjoy!

In the bowl...flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.

Then add in the wet ingredients...eggs, butter, vanilla extract and buttermilk.

Gently fold in the shredded carrots and then fill the pans 2/3 full.

Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes.  If they stick, carefully run a knife around the edges and pull the donuts away from the pan using your fingers.

Prepare glaze while the donuts are cooling, and glaze them while they are still a little warm.  Top with toasted coconut or toasted chopped pecans.

Baked Carrot Cake Donuts:

*makes 1 1/2 dozen donuts

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs, at room temperature

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk or skim milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup shredded carrots

Cream Cheese Glaze:

1/4 cup 1/3 fat cream cheese

4 tablespoons skim milk

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted or 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray the donut pans with non-stick cooking spray to coat.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. (You can do this the night before and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

3.  Then in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla extract.

4.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk just until combined.  Carefully fill the prepared donut pans 2/3 full and bake in the oven 15-17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Donuts should be light brown.

5.  Remove from the oven and let cool in pans for 5 minutes, and then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.  While donuts are cooling prepare the glaze.

6.  In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese until light and fluffy.  The mix in the powdered sugar.  Next mix in the milk and vanilla extract.  If the glaze seems to thick for easy spreading mix in one tablespoon of skim milk at a time until desired consistency is reached.

7.  Spread each donut with cream cheese glaze and then top with either toasted coconut or pecans.  Or if you want both.  Serve and Enjoy!

Note: Best eaten on the day made.