Baked Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Cinnamon Sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease two standard doughnut pans (12 doughnut wells).
2. Beat together the oil, applesauce, eggs, sugars, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder until smooth. Add the flour, and beat on low speed just until smooth.
3. Fill the wells of the doughnut pans about 3/4 full.
4. Bake the doughnuts for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.
5. Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and after about 5 minutes, loosen their edges, and transfer them to a rack to cool.
6. While the doughnuts are still warm (but no longer fragile), gently shake them in a bag with the cinnamon-sugar.
7. Cool completely, and wrap airtight; store at room temperature for several days.

Yield: 12 doughnuts

Variations:Pumpkin Muffins-If you don't have doughnut pans, lightly grease 15 standard muffin cups. Make batter as directed, but bake in preheated oven for 22-24 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and when muffins are still slightly warm, dip their tops in the cinnamon sugar.