The trade group food holiday thing is kind of nuts.  Every month hosts multiple “celebrations”, every day is an excuse to focus on yet another food.  As if we needed an excuse.  I’m surprised a younger Morgan Spurlock hasn’t attempted to eat his/her way through a year of said trade holidays.  However, if one isn’t a constant imbiber of, doughnuts, say, then said day is a little nudge to enjoy.  National Doughnut Day came around on Friday and I was too engaged in work to properly “celebrate” which, for me would have involved thinking ahead to place an order with Donut Snob, my current favorite raised doughnut.  They only cater so I’m saved from being able to run to a shop and pound them back at a moment’s notice.  Although knowing they will deliver dozens to my house is a particular kind of torment.

So with doughnuts on the brain and a plan to not leave the house firmly in place for Sunday I decided to make some.  I’ve made good cake doughnuts.  They’re easy.  But a great raised doughnut?  I knew it would be tricky but man.  This might become a new obsession to conquer.  I used Marion Cunningham’s Raised Doughnut recipe from her Breakfast Book, which is very similar to a brioche dough.  (In fact I ended up baking some extra dough and the it made a beautiful bread).  I tinkered a bit with the recipe, using  less sugar and substituting lard for veggie shortening.  The doughnuts were too tough, so not great on their own, but once filled with fresh boysenberries were serviceable.  The mocha ones were adequate once dunked in strong tea.  Next time I would make the dough richer or just cave and make her fabulous buttermilk cake doughnuts.  For raised I can always just call The Donut Snob.

ps  The pinkness of the icing comes from boysenberries