Amber Lately

Ah! It�s already June! Sorry I've been MIA the last couple of weeks. I've been so busy! Between our trip to NYC, wedding planning (ah, 4 months away!), trying to up my running mileage to prepare for upcoming races, softball season starting, and my birthday, things have been crazy town. Don�t worry, I�ll be back soon with something tasty for you, but in the meantime, here�s a little look at what I've been up to! 

NYC! We visited one of my BFF/Bridesmaids and her husband for Memorial weekend, so fun! We did some sunning and wine drinking in Central Park, rode bikes all over Brooklyn, and of course, ate a ton of amazing food�the highlight was Roberta�s Pizza!

I�m an old lady! I turned 29 yesterday� last year of my twenties, folks, watch out! Actually, I�m really stoked to be 29. I think this is going to be a stellar year. It started off with the biggest and best Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake ever (made by Amanda)! Also, in the most magical twist of fate ever, my birthday also happens to be National Cheese Day, National Hug Your Cat Day, National Running Day, AND the Seahawks birthday! 

And I share a birthday with Angelina Jolie, Scott Wolf (um, Bailey for life, am I right?), Buddy Wakefield, and Evan�s grandma. Not to mention, yesterday my sweet tiny little bitty baby cousin Wyatt graduated from high school! Big day! 

Also, for my birthday week, all these fine folks decided to have DONUT WEEK on their blogs! Oh, that was for National Donut Day on Friday? Whatever. I�ll take it. Thanks guys, I love donuts!

• THE FAUX MARTHA: Mix and Match Donuts
• MY NAME IS YEH:  Naturally Colored Glazes on Biscuit Donuts
• HUMMINGBIRD HIGH:  Sour Cream Donuts
• WIT + VINEGAR: TBD (the D stands for delicious, obviously)
• STUDIO DIY: Donut Marshmallows  
• EDIBLE PERSPECTIVE: Gluten Free Samoa Baked Donuts, Savory Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Donuts, and Classic Buttermilk Donuts
• COCO CAKE LAND: Milk Tea Donuts
• A COZY KITCHEN: TBD
• I AM A FOOD BLOG: Waffle Donuts

And, of course, I'll go ahead and just invite myself to this donut party with some baked donut goodness of my own:

• Coconut Buttermilk Donuts with Ginger Glaze
• Chocolate Stout Donuts with Irish Cream Glaze
• Chocolate Cake Donuts with Fresh Raspberry Glaze

Baked Chocolate Cake Donuts with Raspberry Glaze

DONUTS! I wonder how many times I'll write donuts in this post? 

I finally broke down and bought a donut pan. Guys� that pan set me back about 8 buckaroos. Seriously, why did it take me so long? I highly recommend everyone gets a donut pan. SO worth the $8.  

My favorite donut shop ever, Top Pot Doughnuts, has a chocolate cake donut with raspberry glaze that makes me weak in the knees. That was what I wanted to make first, but Evan insisted I make plain ol' plain donuts with powdered sugar and cinnamon. So I did that, just to test 'er out. And when I discovered how freaking easy it is to make baked cake donuts with this pan, I went to the gym� because, donuts. And then, I made chocolate donuts with raspberry glaze. YES. 

I think my counts is at 10� or 11, if you count the 1 use of the alternate spelling "doughnuts." 

I love the chocolate and raspberry combo here. The glaze is sweet but also tangy and fruity, and pairs so well with the super rich chocolatey donut, which is tender and cakey. And also, the glaze is so pretty and pink! I should have made these for Valentine's day, huh?

Well� what are you waiting for? Go get yourself a donut pan! GO! 

Baked Chocolate Cake Donuts with Raspberry Glaze

Batter recipe slightly adapted from Joy the Baker

Makes 10 donuts

Donuts

1 cup flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup water

1 large egg

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature (runny, but not hot)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze

1.5 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup raspberries (about 8 berries, fresh or frozen, thawed)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Half a lemon

Preheat oven to 325, with rack in top 2/3 of the oven. Coat donut pan with cooking spray. 

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt and water, and stir in egg, butter, and vanilla, until combined. Add wet ingredients to dry, and gently fold with a spatula until combined (making sure to get all the dry ingredients mixed in). The batter will be a bit thick. 

Spoon batter into a ziplock baggie and cut the corner off one end, so you have a hole about the size of a nickel (or spoon into a pastry bag). I find this is the easiest way to fill the donut pan circles. Pipe a thick ring of batter into each donut circle. Bake for about 11-12 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean, and when you gently touch the top of a donut, it springs back. 

Let donuts cool in pan for a minute or two, then gently turn out onto wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, depending on how many holes your donut pan has. 

Let cool completely before glazing. 

To make glaze: Add powdered sugar to a bowl, and mash berries through a fine mesh strainer, straining juice into powdered sugar. Add vanilla and a small squeeze of the lemon. Stir until combined. If it's too thick, add more lemon juice. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. 

Gently dip donuts into glaze, being careful when you pull it out to not break donut. Let glaze cool until hard/dry, about 30 minutes to an hour.