Chocolate Cake Donuts Recipe

In a bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) of the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
 

In mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, combine brown sugar, eggs, butter, milk and vanilla. On low speed, mix until well combined. Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Gradually mix in more of the remaining flour, as necessary, until dough starts to come together and is the consistency of biscuit dough. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
 

Meanwhile, in a large, deep pot or deep fryer, heat about 4 inches (10 cm) oil over medium heat until temperature registers 360°F (182°C). Tip: When heating the oil for deep-frying, keep a close eye on it to be sure it doesn’t overheat, and never leave the room while the oil is on the heat. Reduce the heat or carefully remove the pot from the burner when the oil reaches the desired temperature. Always keep a metal lid that tightly fits the pot handy to quickly place on the pot should the oil start to smoke or burn.

On a floured work surface, roll out dough to slightly thicker than 1/4 inch (0.5 cm). If dough is tacky, dust with additional flour. Cut dough with cutter into 18 donuts, re-rolling scraps as necessary. Place at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on prepared baking sheet.

Deep-fry 4 donuts at a time in hot oil, turning once with wooden chopsticks, until puffy and firm, about 25 seconds per side. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to paper towels to absorb excess oil. Fry remaining donuts, adjusting heat as necessary between batches to maintain oil temperature.

Let donuts cool completely before icing and/or filling – if desired.

Recipe excerpted from "150 Best Donut Recipes: Fried or Baked" by George Geary © 2012 www.robertrose.ca All rights reserved: May not be reprinted without publisher permission. Photo: © Louella38 | Dreamstime.com