Old-Fashioned Cake Donuts (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ To Make the Donuts

01 - 4½ cups of regular flour
02 - 1¼ cups granulated sugar
03 - 2½ tablespoons of softened butter
04 - 5 yolks from large eggs
05 - 1½ cups of thick sour cream
06 - 1¾ teaspoons of baking powder
07 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 2½ teaspoons baking soda
09 - 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1½ teaspoons of table salt
11 - Cooking oil (vegetable or canola) for frying

→ To Make the Sweet Glaze

12 - ⅓ cup of milk
13 - 3¼ cups of powdered (icing) sugar
14 - ½ teaspoon of salt

# Instructions:

01 - Mix together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a big bowl. Put aside for later.
02 - With an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, and egg yolks for a couple of minutes until smooth and fluffy.
03 - Add the sour cream into the fluffy sugar and butter mixture. Stir until it feels silky and everything blends in.
04 - On a low speed, fold the dry mixture into the wet one bit by bit. Stop as soon as they come together—don’t overwork it or the donuts might lose their tenderness.
05 - Wrap the dough in some plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for an hour or more. It'll firm up and be easier to roll out.
06 - Take the chilled dough and roll it flat on a floured counter until it’s about 1 cm thick. Cut out your donut shapes (and holes) with a donut cutter. If you’d like, add 3 small triangle cuts around the edges for a classic cracked look.
07 - Use a large pot or deep fryer to warm up the oil until it hits 350°F (175°C). Keep track of the heat with a thermometer so it doesn’t get too high or low.
08 - Gently lower the donuts into the hot oil, a few at a time so they don’t crowd each other. Fry them for about 1 to 1½ minutes on both sides until they’re a nice golden shade. Smaller pieces, like the donut holes, will fry faster.
09 - Pull the donuts from the oil using a slotted spoon. Place them on paper towels to soak up any extra oil, and let them cool slightly.
10 - As the donuts cool, whisk the salt, milk, and powdered sugar together in a bowl until you’ve got a smooth glaze. Add more milk or sugar if the consistency’s not quite right.
11 - Take each donut and dip just the top into the glaze. Let the extra drip off, then place them on a wire rack over a baking sheet to set. Once the glaze hardens, they’re ready to go!

# Notes:

01 - These treats are best eaten fresh, ideally within hours of frying.
02 - For that classic cracked look, those tiny triangle cuts along the edges before frying can make a difference!
03 - Try to keep the oil’s temperature steady at 350°F. If it gets too hot, the donuts might cook too fast on the outside and stay raw inside. Too cool, and they’ll soak up too much grease.