Carrot Cake Baked Doughnuts with Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
You have never had a baked doughnut as good as these Carrot Cake Baked Doughnuts. The inside is piped with yummy yogurt and cream cheese filling and they taste unbelievably good. I don’t say this lightly, but this is the best baked doughnut recipe I have ever made, and I’ve made a few.
What makes these doughnuts healthy?
I’m not suggesting these doughnuts are so healthy you could scoff down all 12 in one sitting. They are a healthy doughnut recipe because;
- Baked doughnuts – this makes them much healthier because they are not dripping in oil.
- Low in sugar – I used a minimal amount of maple syrup to sweetened these doughnuts
- The inside is a yummy mix of thick delicious Greek yogurt with a little cream cheese. While I love cream cheese I try to just eat a little and mixed with yogurt you still get the flavour with more nutritious value to your doughnut.
Can I fry these doughnuts?
Yes absolutely! Use a good high smoke point cooking oil like rapeseed (my preference) or sunflower oil.
Yeast Doughnuts
In the past when I’ve made doughnuts I have made yeast-free baked doughnuts. Also, super delicious mind you but they are not as fluffy and light as these ones.
When making a yeast doughnut recipe, you have to wait for the dough to prove, twice! It’s just about patience. Zero effort + patience.
Throw all of the ingredients into a mixer, then mix until fully combined. Leave in a warm place covered with cling film for about an hour, then come back. Divide the mixture into mini doughnuts (5 mins), then leave to prove again before cooking.
The second prove is SUPER important when using a yeast doughnut recipe. If you have the patience to let them rise the second time, this will result in the fluffiest doughnut EVER!
Baking
Before baking, I brush the top with a little oil which helps a baked doughnut to look like a fried doughnut. After they come out of the oven you can brush a small amount more oil on top before dipping in sugar, but that is up to you.
Healthy Cream Cheese Filling
The thing that makes these doughnuts amazing is the filling. I used a mix of Greek yogurt and Cream cheese mixed with just a little maple syrup. That’s it! So simple and easy but honestly super delicious.
To get the cream cheese filling into the doughnut, take a straw and push it from the side into the centre of the doughnut. Then fillip a piping bag with the cream cheese mixture and pipe a little of the mixture into the centre of each one. You can also spread it on the top of each doughnut too. The choice is yours. I have to say though, I loved it inside them!
That’s it! Super easy! Totally delicious and honestly the best doughnut recipe you will ever try!
Just ask my kids.
Aileen xoxoxox
Check out these recipes.
Carrot Cake Baked Doughnuts with Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time
1hr 30 minutes
Cook time
25 minutes
Servings
10
Ingredients
250ml milk
7g yeast (1 sachet)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 eggs
420g flour (plus extra for kneading)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 medium carrots grated (then squeeze out the juice)
Cooking Options
Baking – 2 tablespoons melted butter
Cream Cheese Frosting
200g cream cheese
4 tablespoons natural yogurt
2 teaspoons maple syrup
To serve
Coconut/Brown sugar (optional)
Method
- Start by gently warming the milk until it lukewarm but not hot, add the yeast and maple syrup, then leave aside for about 10 minutes until the yeast activates. The top should become frothy, then add to a mixer along with the eggs and remaining doughnut ingredients.
- Mix well until it forms a soft dough, then cover the bowl with cling film or a towel and leave in a warm place until it doubles in size.
- Add a good sprinkle of flour to your worktop, then empty out the dough and kneed until it comes together. If it is too wet, add a little extra flour as needed.
- Roll the dough until it is about 2cm thick then cut out 16 minicircles. I use a smaller cutter for little kids and a larger one for adults.
- Cover the circles with a little cling film and leave to prove again for about 30 minutes. The doughnuts should rise again.
Cooking
- Pre-heat oven to 180ºC
Carefully place the doughnuts onto a baking tray. Then using a pastry brush cover the top with a little butter. - Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven, then add a small amount of extra butter to the top and dip into the coconut sugar. Leave aside to cool fully.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add all the frosting ingredients to a bowl and mix well, then empty into a piping bag.
- Using a straw, make a little hole in the side of each doughnut, then pipe the cream cheese frosting into each one.
- You can also add the frosting to the top of each doughnut instead.
Writen by Aileen Cox Blundell - number one bestselling author, award winning blogger and Mum of 3 kiddies who all eat their veggies.
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