Donut Muffins - Friday Delight

After a few weeks of a) forgetting to make something from scratch or b) giving them the same old- same old, I'm sending a new Friday Delight treat to Superman's team tomorrow morning.

This week I tried an awesome recipe from Bread & Honey: A Food Blog. I grabbed this recipe months and months ago, but hadn't tried it until today. I must say I'm glad I held on to it. It is good. I think this will go a long way towards redeeming my reputation in the eyes of those who count on me to make Friday morning meetings with Superman a little less painful.

As always, this recipe is much easier than it looks (I just don't do difficult recipes...my brain doesn't work that way). Also, I made some changes and substitutions based on what I had in my house this evening -- I noted any changes I made.

So, here you go:

Donut Muffins
from Bread & Honey

Ingredients:

For muffins:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk [I only had non-fat]
1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar [I used white]
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature [I used salted]
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs

For topping:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a standard-size muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg, and whisk to mix them thoroughly. Set aside.

Combine the milk and the vinegar in a measuring cup, and set aside.

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or, alternatively, in a large mixing bowl with electric beaters nearby), and beat on medium speed for a few seconds, until the butter is soft and creamy. With the motor running, add the sugar in a steady stream. Continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, until the mixture increases in volume and lightens to pale yellow. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until they are just combined.

[For this part, I just kept using my Minnie (that would be Minerva, my Kitchen Aid, to those of you who missed her joyful arrival to our home in February)--no wooden spoon for me.]With a wooden spoon, mix 1/4 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add 1/3 of the milk mixture. Continue to add the dry and wet ingredients alternately, ending with the dries. Mix until the dough is smooth and well combined, but do not overmix.

Divide the batter between the cups of the muffin tin. Bake until the muffins are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-32 minutes. [Using a 1/4 cup scooper, I made 19 standard-sized muffins.]

When the muffins are cool enough to handle, prepare the topping: melt the butter in the microwave or on the stovetop, and pour the powdered sugar into a deep bowl. Using a pastry brush and working one muffin at a time, lightly brush the entire outside of the muffin with butter, and then roll it in the powdered sugar. [Instead of using a pastry brush, I just held on to the paper at the base of the muffin, dipped the top of the muffin in the butter, then dipped it into the powdered sugar.] Shake off any excess, and place the finished muffins on a rack or serving platter. Serve.