15
Chocolate Cake Doughnuts
2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1
⁄
2
cup cocoa
1
1
⁄
2
teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk
Beat shortening, sugar, and eggs together until creamy. Mix in cocoa. In a sepa-
rate bowl combine vanilla and milk. Stir into sugar mixture. Combine flour, baking
powder, baking soda, salt, and cream of tarter in a large bowl. Stir into liquid mix-
ture. Chill for two hours or overnight. Roll out half the dough on a lightly floured
board to a
1
⁄
2
-inch thickness. Cut into doughnuts.
Heat two inches of oil to 375ºF. Lower basket and carefully slide doughnuts, (two
at a time), into the preheated oil. Fry each doughnut about 90 seconds per side.
Remove the doughnuts and drain on paper towels. Roll in sugar. Repeat with
remaining dough.
Makes 32 doughnuts.
Yeast Doughnuts
2 (.25-ounce) envelopes active
dry yeast
1
⁄
4
cup warm water
1
1
⁄
2
cups lukewarm milk
1
⁄
2
cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1
⁄
3
cup shortening
5 cups all-purpose flour
Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until
foamy. In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs,
shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix for a few minutes at low speed, or stir-
ring with a wooden spoon. Beat in remaining flour
1
⁄
2
cup at a time, until the
dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth
and elastic
Place the dough into a greased bowl, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise
until double. Dough is ready if you touch it, and the indention remains. Turn the
dough out onto a floured surface, and gently roll out to
1
⁄
2
-inch thickness. Cut
with a floured doughnut cutter. Let doughnuts sit out to rise again until double
in size. Cover loosely with a cloth.
Icing: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in confectioners sugar
and vanilla until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in hot water one table-
spoon at a time until the icing is somewhat thin, but not watery. Set aside.
Heat oil to 375ºF. Slide doughnuts into the preheated oil two at a time. Turn
doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Fry each doughnut about 90 sec-
onds per side. Remove from hot oil, to drain on a wire rack. Dip doughnuts
into the glaze while still hot, and set onto wire racks to drain off excess. Keep
a cookie sheet or tray under racks for easier clean up.
Makes 18 doughnuts.
3
3
⁄
4
cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon soda
1
⁄
2
teaspoon salt
1
⁄
2
teaspoon cream tartar
White sugar for topping
Icing:
1
⁄
3
cup butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
1
1
⁄
2
teaspoons vanilla
4 tablespoons hot water or as needed
