Gingerbread Doughnuts & Ghostly Holes

Doughnuts have been a part of my Halloween treats ever since I got married.  Before our girls were born, we'd invite family and friends over for a buffet and in addition to caramel apples, sugar cookie ghosts and black cats, doughnuts were the highlight of my baking for the dessert table.  Yeast doughnuts back then were my favorite, but over the years, I've become a cake doughnut lover, especially since they can be baked.

Gingerbread was on my mind after spending a couple of hours Skyping with my grandson yesterday.  Lately, both he and Maddie want me to tell them "haunted" stories with dark forests and Trolls, and how magically we get to the castle in the meadow.

Coming to the forest edge, Princess Maddie and Spiderman Ari called out to the troll that they want to enter. "What can we give you to let us pass through?" The big, green Troll answers, "What have you baked today?"  They tell him, "we have gingerbread doughnuts!"  "Yum...you can come through the forest if you give me some."

 A pathway appears and the two find there way back to the castle...Mimi's house!  The end.

The house smelled just wonderful with the spices and molasses; drawing in any Trick or Treaters around.  The new pan I bought makes the most yummy holes, Maddie's favorites.  These are rolled in confectioners' sugar, but cinnamon/sugar or even a glaze would be awesome too.

Doughnut holes or Cake Pops can be made in this pan

Gingerbread Doughnuts & Ghostly Holes
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 3/4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees.  Spray doughnut pan and round ball pan with baking spray.  If you don't have either, you can use a miniature muffin pan.
Heat the water and molasses in a 2 cup measure in the microwave for 40 seconds.  Pour over the softened butter  in a bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the paddle attachment mix on low to combine. 
Add the egg and sugar and mix again--don't worry if it looks curdled.

Add the spices, flour, baking soda and salt with the buttermilk and mix on low.  Remove from the stand mixer and use a spatula to combine it thoroughly; you don't want to overmix.

Use a small scoop to measure batter in the round ball pan and a larger one for the doughnut pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 13 - 15 minutes, testing with a wooden skewer to check for doneness.

Allow to cool.  For the doughnut holes, I melted 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter and place about 1 cup confectioners' in another bowl.  Dip the holes in the butter, then, roll in the confectioners' sugar.

For the larger doughnuts, I mixed up my standard glaze: 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, 1 T Light Karo syrup, 2-3 tablespoons of hot water and 1/2 tsp. Orange Juice Powder.
Dip the doughnuts in the glaze and spread with an off-set spatula.  Sprinkle with colored sugar.

Wouldn't these be nice on a stormy night with a mug of hot chocolate...I bet the Troll would love that too! Enjoy!!

(BTW--On Monday, I will be drawing the name for the October Give-Away because I will be flying out on Tuesday to visit my grandson. )