Pumpkin, Spice...

I was at a friends house the other day for a Pampered Chef party. While there the consultant gave the hostess a great idea for making an easy and healthier pumpkin cake using a yellow cake mix and a can of pumpkin. Hmm...my curiosity was peeked.

My mind started thinking about working this combo into some baked donuts. I've been having so much fun making these tasty and healthier delights ever since I bought those baked donut pans at Michael's last year. So far I've tried lemon, apple with an oatmeal crunch topping and some glazed buttermilk donuts, and those are just the ones I've blogged about. But haven't done any with pumpkin yet, and since it's fall and I LOVE anything pumpkin I just had to try making some.

So here's what I came up with; and because they met my family's seal of approval, they are a keeper recipe.

Here's all you need to bake these tasty donuts.

1 box yellow cake, the kind with pudding

1 can of pumpkin purée

1 egg
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons milk
Melted butter

Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer for 3 minutes. Place the batter in a gallon size ziplock bag carefully squeezing out all the air before closing. Cut about a 1/2" off of one corner and evenly distribute the batter between 2 greased baking pans. Bake in a preheated oven at 350* for 10-12 minutes, or until they spring back when touched. Remove them from the baking pans to cool on a baking rack. When they are cool enough to handle give them a quick dip in some melted butter and lightly dust with cinnamon and sugar and enjoy!!!

Baked Lemon Donuts

I decided to get up just a wee bit earlier this morning and whip up a treat for my family. You know, the kind of treat you do every now and then. The just because kind.  The because I love kind. Yeah you know what I am talking about.

Well today I decided some fresh baked donuts, (yes I said baked) were going to be great morning treat. Folks it doesn't get any easier than this. I simply took a boxed cake mix, one egg and a little oil and and in a jiffy I baked up a dozen tasty baked donuts. When my family wakes they'll have a sweet surprise for breakfast. Oh, and how about some hot cocoa to enjoy them with. Chocolate and lemon make a good pairing y'all.

Baked Lemon Donuts

1 box lemon cake mix

1 cup water

1 large egg

1/4 cup oil or melted butter~ I prefer butter

Preheat oven to 350* Grease donut pans.  Mix everything together until everything is moist and incorporated. Place the batter into a quart sized ziplock bag, carefully squeezing out all of the air. Snip off one of the bottom corners and pipe the batter into the baking pans. Filling a little less than halfway. Bake for 7-10 minutes. While donuts are baking make your glaze. Mix 1-1/2 cup powdered sugar with one drop of lemon oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Mix well. Once donuts are completely cooled dip each donut into the glaze and enjoy.

**For a great variation add some blueberries to the batter. a little lemon zest would be a great addition too.**