Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

Ingredients

For the batter:

• 225 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  
• ½  teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon cardamon
  
• 
  
•  10 Tbsp / 140 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 160 grams brown sugar (original recipe called for light, I use dark)
  
• 50 grams granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup apple cider (which will be reduced to 1/2 cup) (240 ml reduced to 120 ml)
  

For the finish after baking:

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 50 grams sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preparation

• Heat the oven to 350°F 180°C
• Lightly grease 2, then flour (using a strainer)  6-cavity doughnut pans (or a 12-cup muffin tin) with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Take the apple cider or apple juice and reduce to about half. Pour 1/3 of a cup (80 ml) and let cool. This is what will be used after the dry ingredients are added to the mixer.. This also leaves a bit more cider if needed.
  
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or like me an old mix master to get more air in), cream butter, brown sugar and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated after each addition, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. With the mixer running, add the apple cider in a slow, steady stream and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl well to make sure the batter is homogeneous.
• Spoon the batter into prepared doughnut pans, filling them about 2/3 of the way full (you can also do this using a disposable piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with a 1/2-inch opening cut from one corner). Bake until evenly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the thickest portion comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. (If you are making muffins, divide batter evenly between the prepared cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.)
• While the doughnuts bake, whisk the remaining 50 grams granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together in a small bowl to combine. In a separate small bowl, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Let the doughnuts cool for 5 minutes after baking, then unmold them from the pans, brush with the melted butter and dredge them in the cinnamon sugar while they are still warm. Serve immediately, or let cool to room temperature.