Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts

Cake doughnuts always remind me of my childhood.  I wasn't allowed to eat them that often, but when I was, they always satisfied.  These are simple, old fashioned cake doughnuts, scented with freshly ground nutmeg.  They are so delicious and surprisingly simple to make. No yeast, no rising. Just a basic dough cut into shapes and fried until golden. Sprinkle warm doughnuts with powdered sugar, dredge them in cinnamon sugar, dunk them into a freshly mixed glaze or, as I did, roll them in homemade vanilla bean sugar.  However you finish them, these doughnuts are the perfect weekend breakfast treat.  Pile a few of these tender doughnuts on a plate, grab your mug of hot coffee and curl up with the newspaper.  Even as an adult, these doughnuts will leave you childishly happy.

Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts

adapted from this recipe

makes about 14 doughnuts (less if you fry the holes)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg, freshly grated

3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted and slightly cooled

canola oil for frying

tools:  candy or deep fry thermometer

Take two sheet pans and line one pan with a thick layer of paper toweling and the other pan with parchment paper.  Set pans aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients including the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt and nutmeg, until combined.  In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients including the buttermilk, eggs, sour cream, vanilla and slightly cooled melted butter, until combined.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold the two together using a rubber spatula.  Just fold until the mixture just becomes a sticky dough.  Be sure not to over mix the dough or your doughnuts will be tough.

Sprinkle a clean work surface with flour.  Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and sprinkle the dough with a bit more flour.  Roll or pat the dough out until it is 1/2 inch thick.  Using a small 2 3/4 inch doughnut cutter (or using two different sized round cutters to create doughnut shapes) dip the cutter in flour and cut the doughnuts. Place cut doughnuts on the parchment lined baking sheet. Continue re-rolling any left-over dough and cutting out doughnuts until you run out of dough. You can either keep the doughnut holes and fry them, or re-roll them out with the scraps to make more whole doughnuts.  Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator while you prepare the oil for frying.

In a large dutch oven or similar pot, pour approximately 1 1/2 inches of canola oil. Attach your candy or deep fry thermometer to the side of the pot and turn the heat to medium high.  Once the oil has reached 365 degrees F, the doughnuts are ready to be fried.

Carefully and gently, place three doughnuts into the oil.  Once they have turned golden brown on one side, using tongs or a wire basket, turn the doughnuts and allow them to cook on the other side.  This will likely take approximately 1-2 minutes per side.  Be sure to keep an eye on the oil temperature and adjust your heat to keep the oil at approximately 365 degrees.  Once the doughnuts are done, lift the doughnuts from the oil, allow the excess oil to drip back into the pot and transfer the doughnuts to the baking sheet lined with paper towel.  Repeat until all of the doughnuts are fried.  

Once the doughnuts have all been fried, roll them in a medium bowl filled with the sugar combination of your choice or dunk them in a simple cake glaze.  If desired, allow finished doughnuts on a wire rack to cool.  

Note:  Many may enjoy these cake doughnuts freshly-fried and slightly warm, but I actually think they are infinitely more delicious after they've sat for a few hours, even overnight.  

Mound your sticky doughnut dough onto a floured work surface.

Rolled to 1/2 inch thickness, the dough is ready to be cut.

Cut doughnuts and transfer them to your parchment lined sheet.

Ready to take a dip in some hot oil.

Using a candy or deep-fry thermometer ensures that the oil is at the optimum temperature for frying.  

Bubbling oil turns these little cakes golden brown.

Be sure to allow the excess oil to drip from the doughnuts.

Immediately place the freshly fried doughnuts on your paper towel lined sheet.

Use any flavored or unflavored sugar you like.  I like using homemade vanilla sugar (explained in this post).  Be sure to sift out any large pieces of vanilla bean pod before rolling your doughnuts.

Allow doughnuts to cool on a wire rack.

Stack 'em up, grab your coffee and enjoy.

What could be better than these sugary rings of sweet dough?

Prosciutto Baguette Sandwich

Even with the simplest of recipes, when you use really good ingredients, things just taste better.  This sandwich is a prime example of that.  Take a really good baguette, slice it in half, slather the insides with butter and fill it with peppery arugula, thinly sliced red onion and rich, salty prosciutto.  Done.  You will be amazed at how delicious these relatively simple ingredients can taste together.  I crave this sandwich.  It keeps surprisingly well for a few days wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator and I've been known to make two baguettes worth at a time so that I can enjoy it throughout the week.  It's addictively good.  The richness of the prosciutto pairs so well with the sharp bite of red onion and freshness of the arugula.  A fresh, buttered baguette brings it all together.  Trust me, this simple sandwich has craveable flavor.

Proscuitto Baguette Sandwich

Makes 1 baguette

1 fresh baguette, sliced lengthwise

3 T unsalted butter, softened

4-6 thinly sliced pieces of prosciutto (preferably prosciutto de Parma)

thinly sliced red onion 

handful of fresh arugula

kosher salt or sea salt

Slather the insides of the baguette with the butter.  Layer the prosciutto on one side of the bread and top with a few pieces of red onion.  Sprinkle with salt and then top with a generous mound of arugula.  Top with the other side of the baguette, press with your hands and slice into portions.

A fresh baguette.  Crusty on the outside, tender on the inside.

Spread with soft, creamy butter.  

Pile on the prosciutto, onion and a sprinkling of salt.

Fresh arugula gives a crisp, peppery bite.

A simple sandwich with addictive flavor.

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

This cake has the best of both worlds, really.  On one hand, it has the genius addition of tart, refreshing and fragrant grapefruit.  On the other hand, it has a rich, moist and dense crumb from the olive oil, which also gives it a little bit of fruity flavor and a subtle peppery kick.  Add a little whole wheat flour and some vanilla and you have quite possibly the perfect summer breakfast cake.  Bright and citrusy, yet comforting, hearty and satisfying.  If you want, serve this with some softly whipped cream, fresh butter or (as I like it) on its own with a glass of tea. Juicy grapefruit + rich olive oil cake = summer breakfast perfection.

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

serves 8

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 kosher salt

1 large grapefruit, zest and 1/4 cup juice reserved 

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (use a midrange priced version here, nothing too fancy)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously butter and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

On a clean cutting board, combine the sugar and grapefruit zest in one pile.  Using a bench scraper, work the zest into the sugar until completely combined.  Transfer grapefruit sugar to a large bowl.  Add the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of grapefruit juice to the bowl and whisk until combined.  Add in the eggs and olive oil and whisk again until combined.  With a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until all of the flour is mixed into the wet ingredients.  Pour batter into the prepared pan.  

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Do not over bake or the cake will become dry.  Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes in the pan set on a wire rack.  After 5 minutes, remove cake from pan and allow it to cool to room temperature on the wire rack.  Slice and enjoy. 

Refreshing grapefruit.  Use both the zest and juice to give this cake tons of bright flavor.

Combining the zest with the sugar releases the citrus oils from the zest.  

Fresh eggs about to be whisked into the pale peach-toned batter.

Freshly baked grapefruit cake.

Moist, citrusy and perfect for breakfast.

Introducing...

{Logo art by the lovely and talented Megan Lazaros}

As previously mentioned here, I've always had a teeny, tiny and seemingly unrealistic dream of opening my own bakery.  Clouds of flour in the air, smells of warm cake baked with loads of butter and melted chocolate dripping from wooden spoons.  A girl can dream, right?  Well, life always has a way of surprising us because I will be selling homemade baked goods at two local Minneapolis farmers markets this summer.  On certain weekends, I will have a booth at the Kingfield Farmers Market and on the other weekends I'll be selling at the new Fulton Farmers Market (see dates below).  If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello.  To be honest, I'm feeling quite horrified, nervous and anxious but, most of all, I'm completely elated at the idea of waking up insanely early one weekend day a week and churning out all of my favorite recipes.  It's gonna be hard work, no doubt about it, but I just know it will be the best summer ever.  How did I get so lucky?

Kingfield Farmers Market (Sundays 8:30am - 1pm):  5/22, 5/29, 6/5, 6/19, 6/26, 7/3, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/21, 10/2, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30

Fulton Farmers Market (Saturdays 8:30am - 1pm):  6/11, 7/9, 7/16, 8/6, 8/13, 8/27, 9/3, 9/10, 9/24, 10/8

Buttermilk Dressing

With farmers market season quickly approaching, thoughts of ripe, juicy tomatoes have been filling my brain.  This dressing is the perfect pairing. Tangy and herby with a subtle heat from fresh garlic.  Pour it over tomatoes, toss it with arugula or pair it with just about any vegetable you can think of.  The beauty of this recipe is its versatility.  It starts as a buttermilk base that you can add to to make the dressing your own.  Use any fresh herbs you have around the house or in the garden.  Instead of herbs, add crumbled blue cheese and a splash of worcestershire sauce to make a killer blue cheese dressing.  Instead of vinegar, add lime juice, cilantro and a pinch of cayenne for a Mexican inspired version that would pair nicely with avocados.  For a thicker dressing, add a bit more mayonnaise and sour cream until you reach your desired consistency.  For a lighter version, use fat free buttermilk, mayo and sour cream.  The options are endless.  However you make it, this dressing is just the thing to have around when you bring home your first bag of farmers market produce.

Buttermilk Herb Dressing
makes just over 3 cups

3 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp sour cream
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 large garlic cloves
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise and vinegar.  Set aside.

Place two garlic cloves on a cutting board, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of kosher salt and finely chop.  Carefully, using the side of the knife, smash the garlic and salt into a paste.  Add garlic paste to the dressing and whisk in.  Add chopped herbs, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Spicy fresh garlic gives this dressing bite and flavor.

Sprinkle garlic cloves with coarse salt, smash, chop and crush into a paste.

Fresh herbs, any combination would be delicious in this dressing.

I like my dressing thin so that it can thinly coat delicate lettuce, but make yours as thick and creamy as you desire.

Bring on the fresh vegetables.

Yogurt with Pistachios and Rose Water Honey

Mother's Day is fast approaching and I won't be able to be with my Mom this year.  Mom is one of those women that people are just drawn to.  She has impeccable taste and enviable style.  Her laugh is infectious, her presence is filled with energy and when she looks at you, there is love in her eyes. I aspire to be like her and am proud to say that we already share a number of unmistakable traits: we both twirl our hair when we're driving, we both love Champagne and we both dramatically sigh when we're stressed.  We can make each other laugh uncontrollably and, without fail, we make each other cry whenever we say goodbye.  I miss my Mom everyday.  She lives in Connecticut and I live in Minnesota, a bit too far away.  So, in honor of my Mom, I made a dessert that I know she would love. Tangy Greek yogurt topped with pistachios and honey.  A few drops of rose water in the honey subtly perfumes this dessert, in a really good way. The fragrant rose blends with the sweet honey, nuts and yogurt to create the most delicious, almost calming, dessert.  Creamy and rich but not too sweet.  Happy Mother's Day, Momma.  I love you.

Yogurt with Pistachios and Rose Water Scented Honey
Serves 2

3 Tbsp honey

1-2 drops of rose water extract (found at most specialty food stores)
17 oz of thick, Greek yogurt
1/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped


In a small bowl, stir together the honey and rose water until combined.  Divide the yogurt between two small serving bowls and sprinkle each with the chopped pistachios.  Finish with a drizzle of the rose water honey and serve.

Cool, tangy, crunchy, sweet and faintly smelling of roses.  

Vibrantly green and so delicious, pistachios give this dish flavor and crunch.

A drizzle of rose scented honey is the perfect finish to this simple dessert.

I know this dessert would make my Mom very happy.

Quinoa Salad

Every once in awhile it's so nice to come home at the end of the day, scan the pantry and whip up a perfectly delicious meal from the things you already have.  In our house, this throw together meal usually formulates into a spicy curry dish, simple pasta or grain and vegetable salad. On this particular evening I took a peek at our reserves and discovered asparagus, fresh peas, feta and quinoa.  Grain and vegetable salad it was.  No meat in sight so I added some leftover red lentils for protein.  I threw together a citrusy and spicy lemon and mustard vinaigrette, cooked the quinoa and sauteed the vegetables.  A quick toss with some fresh parsley and crumbled feta and dinner was done.  Fast, easy and filling.  Sometimes it is so satisfying to create your own sporadic recipes from the things you already have on hand.

Quinoa Salad

(serves 4 or 2 with leftovers for lunch the next day)

1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed with cool water and drained

1 Tbsp butter

olive oil

1/2 shallot sliced thinly

handful of fresh asparagus, sliced on the bias

1/2 fresh peas (frozen would also work)

1/4 cup lentils, cooked

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 Tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped 

juice from half a lemon

1 tsp dijon mustard

kosher salt 

freshly cracked black pepper

In a large sauce pot bring quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Allow to rest while you cook the vegetables.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter with 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.  Once the butter has melted and begins to bubble, add the shallots and cook until wilted and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the asparagus, peas and a pinch of salt and stir.  Saute the vegetables until just warmed through, not more than 4-5 minutes.  You still want the vegetables to retain their bright green color and crispness so don't overcook.  Add the cooked quinoa and lentils to the saute pan and stir together.  Transfer the salad to a large bowl and set aside while you prepare the vinaigrette.

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and dijon mustard with a generous pinch of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.  Simultaneously whisk the mixture and pour in a slow, steady stream of olive oil until the dressing emulsifies and becomes thick and creamy.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Pour half of the dressing over the salad and add the parsley and feta.  Toss to combine and add more dressing if needed.  Serve slightly warm, at room temperature or cold.  

Fresh, sweet peas add a bursting of spring flavor to this salad.

Baby asparagus and shallots ready for a saute.

Bright green vegetables tossed lightly in wilted shallot, butter and oil.  

The perfect spur-of-the-moment dinner.

Comfort Loves

Sometimes you just want to eat something utterly comforting.  For me, that time is pretty much all day, every day. Lately, I've been doing a good job of indulging my cravings for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a sweet late-night snack. Whole wheat chocolate chip cookie bars, fresh berries, dark chocolate cake and richly decadent breakfast sandwiches.  All are delicious, all have been served on heavy rotation in our house and all are my idea of comforting.

Whole wheat chocolate chip bars.  Adapted from a recipe in one of my favorite new cookbooks, Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce.  Whole wheat flour and deep, dark chocolate.  Not only does the use of whole wheat flour make these bars healthier, it also gives them a earthy, nutty, toasted grain flavor that I crave at least once a week.  The perfect weeknight, post-dinner dessert fix.

A simple bowl of berries.  Drench them in cream for breakfast, macerate with lemon juice and sugar to serve with shortcakes  or eat them as is.  For me, they have been a sweet and juicy reminder that summer is almost here.

Dark and rich chocolate cake.  A thick, triangular slice and a tall glass of milk.  The perfect after school (or  after work) snack.  This particular version was adapted from this Martha Stewart recipe and I used piping hot coffee instead of water in the cake batter.  

A warm biscuit, split and slathered with fresh parsley butter.  Melted white cheddar.  Crispy bacon and a softly fried egg.   Lately, this sandwich is on my mind the minute I wake up every Saturday morning.

Carrot and Feta Salad

Spring has arrived and not a moment too soon. The snow has melted, the sun sets later each evening and we've wiped the dust off the charcoal grill. Life is good. A cold salad of roasted carrots and feta cheese is the perfect side dish to any backyard barbeque. Honestly, I make this salad year round, but it seems particularly appropriate for spring. Carrots, lightly sprinkled with smokey cumin and roasted until sweet and caramelized. Toss them with crumbled, salty feta and bright fresh parsley. This simple salad is a delicious way to enjoy the first days of spring.

Carrot and Feta Salad
Serves 4

2 lbs carrots
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 to 1/2 cup crumbed feta cheese
Small handful of fresh, flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Peel carrots and then cut them into thick slices, on the bias.  Transfer carrots to a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle liberally with olive oil.  Sprinkle with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.  Sprinkle on the cumin.  With clean hands, toss the carrots in the oil and spices until evenly coated.  Roast carrots for 25 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges.

Remove carrots from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.  Toss with feta and chopped parsley. Eat at room temperature or cold.

Sweet carrots.

Ready for roasting.  

Spring is here.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Baking the perfect biscuit is something that has alluded me.  For the longest time I could never seem to get them just right.  I tried buttermilk, I tried cream.  I tried countless types of flour. Nothing was working.  They all turned out too thin, too tough, too cakey or too crumbly.  I dreamed of tall, rich biscuit breakfast sandwiches piled high with cheese, bacon and egg.  Sweet shortcake biscuits loaded with fresh strawberries and hand-whipped cream.  I'd begun to believe that the ideal flaky, buttery and puffed biscuit was something I just couldn't create.  Thankfully my hope was restored on a recent trip to NYC.  We were staying with friends in Brooklyn and on our last morning we woke up and walked to their Carroll Gardens neighborhood restaurant, Prime Meats.  I ordered the buttermilk biscuit with egg and cheese.  It was perfect. Tall, buttery, flaky and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  I ate half and took half with me to nibble on during our flight home.  Recharged in my quest to make myself a batch of glorious golden biscuits, I came home and tried one last time to get them right.  I guess all I needed was a little inspiration.

Buttermilk Biscuits
makes 6-7 medium sized biscuits
(adapted from this recipe)

1 1/4 cups cake flour (I like Swans Down brand)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 stick of cold butter + 2 Tbsp for brushing
3/4 cup cold buttermilk

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Cut the 1/2 stick of cold butter into small chunks, transfer it to a bowl and place in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the cold butter to the dry mixture and using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles course bread crumbs. This may take as long as 5 minutes.  Add the cold buttermilk to the flour butter mixture and mix with your hands until the dough comes together into a ball. Sprinkle some flour onto your workspace and knead the dough 2-3 times or just until the dough has come together.  Flatten and mold the dough with your hands until it is approximately 1 inch thick. Using a small round cutter, cut out the biscuits. Be sure not to twist the cutter, only press the cutter down into the dough.  Transfer biscuits to an ungreased baking sheet, arranging the biscuits tightly together.  (This will help them rise). Place pan in the refrigerator and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the 2 Tbsp of butter in a small bowl.  Once the 10 minutes is up, brush the biscuit tops with butter.  Place the pan into the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until golden and cooked all the way through.  Transfer biscuits to a wire rack and allow to cool a few minutes before eating.

Be sure to keep working the butter into the flour until it resembles course bread crumbs.  

After cutting the biscuits, snuggle them up on the baking sheet and brush with melted butter.  

Golden, flaky buttery biscuits.

Spread with jam, make a sandwich or eat them plain.  These are perfect in any form.