Oh my goodness, was this a delightful read. Cake doughnuts are my favorite and I have fond memories of stopping at DD on my way to before- (middle)school jazz band practice for a chocolate old-fashioned donut and chocolate milk. I’ve often thought about making them, but it’s the frying that intimidates me.
Honestly...it's scarier in theory than in practice! A big pot, enough oil and a thermometer is all you need. But honestly, a doughnut party with store-bought doughnuts would be just as fun and there'd be zero clean-up. :)
My maternal grandmother made cake donuts and my cousin and i would sit at the breakfast bar and watch her drop the donuts and holes into the hot fat and when done she would roll them in cinnamon sugar and as soon as we could we would gobble them up. This was many years ago and I can conjure up that scene like it was yesterday.
My American-born, 100% German mother used to make yeast-raised donuts for every special holiday--like Easter and Christmas morning. As a child, I remember standing by her side--given the job of quickly sugaring the donuts as soon as they came out of the oil. The holes were my favorite! We did nothing fancy--not even adding cinnamon to the sugar. She never made the dough from scratch--she always used Pillsbury Hot Roll mix or Bridgford frozen dough--both yeast-based doughs. The family ate them instantly, never caring that they weren't completely homemade. I always dreamed of cake donuts--but that never happened--there was no mix for that--so now I have 2 recipes to try from you!
I LOVE your piece about this 70s picture book and your inspired donut party! AMAZING! I wish i could buy the book for my nephews. I found a mint copy to purchase online for $150. 1970s picture books are so refreshingly WEIRD, dark, and so compelling. Every summer of my childhood, i would check out my fav at the Island Free Library of Block Island, called Horrible Hepzibah. I just looked it up on Amazon - of course its out of print. Tagline says - "Relates the adventures of a terrible little girl who grew up to be happily mean" by Edna Mitchell Preston, pictures by Ray Cruz. Has characters with names like the "Horrible Hugly" and "Sweet Vanilla."
Lovely, all of it. Of course I want to know which recipe you preferred and of course I’ll understand if you might not want to divulge that.
I adore cake donuts but especially cake donuts coated in powdered sugar because of that strange coolness in the mouth that commercially made powdered sugar donuts have. I discovered that I can actually buy this donut sugar in my local Mennonite bulk food store. I cant remember what they mix in with the powdered sugar to give it that feel and to make it coat the donuts so thoroughly but I think it’s pretty innocuous.
I live in a great place for finding strange, out of print books, so will keep my eye out.
Truly did not have a preference! They were both good - and delivered on the kind of doughnut I was looking for. I would say that what I did prefer was the cinnamon-sugar coating, but that could be done on either doughnut! I know exactly what you mean with that strange coolness, and how cool that you can buy that exact sugar!
This made me wish I lived nearby in Berlin. (Even though Tokyo is now lousy with donuts of all kinds!) xo
I wish you did too!! xoxo
Your donut party looks so beautiful! What a fun way to gather friends.
My boys loved this book too when they were little! The best.
Awww, so lovely. Hope you kept it! xo
The book received a NY Times review back in 1973! https://www.nytimes.com/1973/10/14/archives/who-needs-donuts-by-mark-alan-stamaty-illustrated-by-the-author.html?smid=url-share
Ha, I love it!
This is inspiring, fun and brought a smile. What an adventure!! Thank you.
So glad you liked it! Doughnut parties for everyone!
You are literally just out there doing the lords work 😍🍩
Ha!! xox
Just the other day I complained to my husband about the lack of cake Donuts in Germany.
Though it might still take me a year to make them, with a very new human currently sleeping in NICU.
Thank you for hearing my pumping-craving ;)
Isn't it weird?! And congratulations on your new little one - hopefully someone makes you cake doughnuts very soon!!
lots of ease for for you and your little one, lotte.
Oh my goodness, was this a delightful read. Cake doughnuts are my favorite and I have fond memories of stopping at DD on my way to before- (middle)school jazz band practice for a chocolate old-fashioned donut and chocolate milk. I’ve often thought about making them, but it’s the frying that intimidates me.
Honestly...it's scarier in theory than in practice! A big pot, enough oil and a thermometer is all you need. But honestly, a doughnut party with store-bought doughnuts would be just as fun and there'd be zero clean-up. :)
My maternal grandmother made cake donuts and my cousin and i would sit at the breakfast bar and watch her drop the donuts and holes into the hot fat and when done she would roll them in cinnamon sugar and as soon as we could we would gobble them up. This was many years ago and I can conjure up that scene like it was yesterday.
That is so so lovely, what a great memory!
Thank you. The kind of article needed after the election. 🩷
My American-born, 100% German mother used to make yeast-raised donuts for every special holiday--like Easter and Christmas morning. As a child, I remember standing by her side--given the job of quickly sugaring the donuts as soon as they came out of the oil. The holes were my favorite! We did nothing fancy--not even adding cinnamon to the sugar. She never made the dough from scratch--she always used Pillsbury Hot Roll mix or Bridgford frozen dough--both yeast-based doughs. The family ate them instantly, never caring that they weren't completely homemade. I always dreamed of cake donuts--but that never happened--there was no mix for that--so now I have 2 recipes to try from you!
What a lovely memory - and proof that it's not really about the batter, it's about the love behind it!!
Oh, I love this idea. What a sweet party! And oddly, this marks the second reference to "Who Needs Donuts?" I've read today — the other one was in this piece: https://www.southernhumanitiesreview.com/571-lost-and-unlost-by-shala-erlich.html Sounds like a super fun and memorable book. I will check the library!
Oh wow
Hole donuts are the best
These look just like the donuts my Grandma and my Mom made. No higher compliment could you receive!
That is so lovely!
I LOVE your piece about this 70s picture book and your inspired donut party! AMAZING! I wish i could buy the book for my nephews. I found a mint copy to purchase online for $150. 1970s picture books are so refreshingly WEIRD, dark, and so compelling. Every summer of my childhood, i would check out my fav at the Island Free Library of Block Island, called Horrible Hepzibah. I just looked it up on Amazon - of course its out of print. Tagline says - "Relates the adventures of a terrible little girl who grew up to be happily mean" by Edna Mitchell Preston, pictures by Ray Cruz. Has characters with names like the "Horrible Hugly" and "Sweet Vanilla."
Check it out if you can.
Ooh, that sounds so good!
Lovely, all of it. Of course I want to know which recipe you preferred and of course I’ll understand if you might not want to divulge that.
I adore cake donuts but especially cake donuts coated in powdered sugar because of that strange coolness in the mouth that commercially made powdered sugar donuts have. I discovered that I can actually buy this donut sugar in my local Mennonite bulk food store. I cant remember what they mix in with the powdered sugar to give it that feel and to make it coat the donuts so thoroughly but I think it’s pretty innocuous.
I live in a great place for finding strange, out of print books, so will keep my eye out.
Truly did not have a preference! They were both good - and delivered on the kind of doughnut I was looking for. I would say that what I did prefer was the cinnamon-sugar coating, but that could be done on either doughnut! I know exactly what you mean with that strange coolness, and how cool that you can buy that exact sugar!