Carrot Cake Doughnuts With Cream Cheese Frosting (baked doughnuts)

*Recipe follows story 

On Saturday, I spent the day with friends - eating and shopping.
Friends, eating and shopping are on my top 10 list of things that make me happy.  Sure, I can make breakfast at home, but there’s something special about sitting in a booth with friends - making fun of each other and really enjoying a nice breakfast, in the company of others, without worrying about clean up.  

I love to cook, I love it so much, but the hustle is exhausting.  I have to be honest, I’m exhausted lately.  Exhaustion makes me feel unattractive and can only be rectified with retail therapy. And light baking and snacking, of course.  

Breakfast was followed by shopping, and I stumbled upon the black wrap dress I’ve been dreaming of. This dress could fool any man, as well as me when I’m drunk, as it doesn’t really wrap because it’s a faux wrap.  The little details on the waist give the illusion that it might unhook and wrap on the inside, but it doesn’t.  It’s actually comfortable, no band binding my belly, or a tie that could sit in the wrong place and cause extra lumps where I needn’t require anymore.  It hides all female flaw.  It’s absolutely perfect.

A wrap dress is supposed to make someone wonder: What’s going on underneath that little tie?  Does the whole dress come off in one tug?  I can’t wait to unwrap your food loving ass. The dress may still cause wonder, but only I know its secrets.  I love my belly full of baked good dreams and pork filled fantasies and this dress would only make me feel better about my curves.

Next, I had to conquer my quest for new baking and craft supplies. Me walking into Michael’s must be similar to how a drug addict feels when he/she stumbles upon a den of narcotics.  When I walk into Michael’s, suddenly I’m interested in creating silk flower arrangements, making jewelry, scrap booking, knitting, painting and expertly tracing horses and dragons.  I love those weird tracing books. After weaving in and out of all of aisles for an hour, I finally refocused and made my way towards the baking trays.  Lost in between the Wilton whoopie pie and muffin pans, there lay a lone doughnut mold.

Being as I now owned a dress that would hide all physical flaws that eating one too many doughnuts would cause, I had to have access to baking cake treats in the shape of my all time favorite delight. Making any cake in the shape of a doughnut would make consumption slightly more fun, right?  Right.  I had to add it to my  collection. It could live right next to my ceramic chicken pot pie dish that’s in the shape of a chicken, in between the pirate and the giant cupcake mold.    

Done.   

Su’s birthday brunch was on Sunday, and I planned on making some treats for the ladies to enjoy afterwards.  Su’s birthday seemed like the perfect reason to break in the new mold. I went with a carrot cake batter, although I’ve made it here before, because it’s her favorite.  I woke up stupid early on Sunday morning and made my first foray into Fall baking, and my apartment smelled all autumnal and I was loving it.

Dear Cinnamon, Butter and Sugar,

You’re the real deal when you’re baking and you smell so much better than any Bath & Body Works candle ever will.  I love you.  And I found the perfect dress today, to mask the implication of eating too much of your goodness.  Looks like I’m set. 

Sign me up for another doughnut (or two), please. 
I may be tired, but I’m never giving you up.

Love,
Nom noms

For Carrot Cake Doughnuts
*makes 12 

3 c. carrots (chopped)
1/3 c. walnuts + 2 T. (chopped)
1/3 c. raisins
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla extract
1/2 c. canola oil

 -Preheat oven to 450 degrees
-Grease doughnut mold with non-stick cooking spray and put aside
-Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large bowl - whisking together
-In a separate bowl combine eggs, oil and vanilla - whisking until mixed well
-Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients, gently mixing until all is combined
-Gently fold in carrots, then raisins and 1/3 c. of walnuts
-Fill molds almost to the very top and bake for 8-9 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean
-Put aside, cool in pan for 5-7 minutes, remove doughnuts from their mold and cool on a rack
-Repeat refilling and baking and cooling until ready to frost

For Cream Cheese Frosting

6 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 stick butter (4 T. @ room temperature)
1 1/2 c. confectioners sugar

-Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and combined
-Add confectioners sugar and beat until sugar is completely incorporated
-Frost doughnuts and sprinkle each with remaining chopped walnuts

Doughnuts can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, in an airtight, container.  Before eating, let rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.