Baked Doughnut Recipe

[FletchingStraight]

Does anyone have a tried & tested baked doughnut recipe that actually tastes like....a doughnut or am I just setting my expectations too high? I've just tried one recipe & it's basically cake, i was really looking forward to a doughnut as I can't eat a lot of foods so haven't had a real one in many, many years.

Cooking in hot air is such a different process from cooking in hot oil, and they’re just not interchangeable. The hot oil transfers heat so much more quickly than hot air, and that speed affects how the structure sets, and how the bubbles form which will change the texture. Baked donuts are pretty much mini Bundt cakes. They can be delicious, but not the same as something fried.

I love doughnuts, I love baking, and deep frying scares me - so I have tried a few recipes, all have been disappointing as none actually taste like doughnuts to me!

@toastofthetown that's the conclusion I was coming to. Wish the titles hadn't gotten my hopes up

@SummaLuvin at least I know to stop the search for another recipe. I can't cope with too much oil/fat so deep frying is off the menu. Oh well I'll just have to live off the memories!

Would Eastern European poached yeasted dumplings satisfy some of the needs you have?

They just aren't the same even when you use a yeast dough. I made some recently and cooked in halogen oven, similar to air fryer, while they are nice on the inside but the outside crust is just that, a crust, not what you get on a deep fried one which is softer and just different. Now they serve a purpose for me at the moment but they are not the same thing. The other type that don't even have yeast are as you said just cake baked in doughnut shape!

I have a deep fat fryer that in fact I use exclusively for doughnuts when I make a lot for occasions but they are not calorie friendly obviously!

I don’t have a recipe butihavebought shop bought doughnuts from Tesco that were air fried and lower calorie. Can’t remember what they were called but they were good

Please tell me more, they sound delicious!

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/guides/czech-fruit-dumplings-a-sweet-eastern-european-treat-35270573

Czech dumplings. You'll never recreate the outside of a doughnut without frying but dumplings do give the right sort of inside.

@marylou25 i do need to adjust my expectations & it not tasting so similar. I may be able to cope without the crust if the inside is right, could you please share your recipe?

@NerdWhoEatsMedlar I dont think I've tried anything like that, not sure the poaching aspect would quite satisfy it though. In my head its telling me its wet but i may have that quite wrong.

@FletchingStraight I just used pretty much the first one I came across online for ordinary doughnuts, rich dough basically with eggs/milk/butter added, fresh yeast and I made the dough in the bread maker then rolled it out and cut them out and let rise again. I actually deep fried some of them and baked the others, you can improve the baked ones by dipping in melted butter before the sugar as recipes suggest but basically that's just adding back in the fat you're saving by not deep frying! An icing or glaze on them too improves them but again ups the calories. If a person just doesn't want to use hot oil for example then both those options are good workarounds and not a bad result but plainly baked ones whether in air fryer/oven have a different outside texture and sugar doesn't stick to them obviously without some help!