Baked Lemon Cake Donuts

Lemon Cake Donut

These thick, tangy cake donuts are a little healthier than the standard fare - baked instead of fried, nonfat milk and Greek yogurt used in place of other fattening ingredients. I didn't have a donut pan at the time I made these, but I highly recommend one. I have one on order for my next batch. Without a donut pan they are more like dense lemon coffee cakes - not a bad thing, but the whole in the middle really makes the donut.

Serve in the morning with hot coffee and a savory side, or after dinner in the evening for dessert.

INGREDIENTS

FOR DONUTS

• 1 Box (18.25 oz.) Yellow Cake Mix

• 1 Box (3 oz.) Lemon Jello

• 2 Tbsp Lemon Zest

• 2 Eggs

• 3 Tbsp Greek Yogurt

• 3 Tbsp Canola Oil

• 1 Tsp Lemon Extract

• 1/3 Cup Milk

FOR COATING AND ICING DRIZZLE

• 1/2 Stick Butter

• 1/2 Cup Raw (or Granulated) Sugar

• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar

• 1 1/2 Tsp Milk

• 1 Tsp Lemon Extract

• 2 Drops Yellow Food Coloring

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine Cake Mix, Jello Mix and fresh Lemon Zest.

3. In a small bowl mix Eggs, Yogurt, Oil, Lemon Extract and Milk. Pour liquid mixture into dry mixture and mix thoroughly. Batter will be thick.

4. Grease donut pan thoroughly with shortening or butter. If you do not have a donut pan use any other small individual cake pan. I used a Buttercup Cakelet pan from Williams Sonoma. Cooking time will vary depending on pan - about 10 minutes in a donut pan, 25 minutes in a small cakelet pan. Cook until light golden brown on top. Remove from oven, remove cakes from pan onto a wire cooling rack and let cool.

5. For the topping divide ingredients in 3 small bowls as follows:Bowl i- 1/2 stick melted butterBowl ii- 1/2 Cup Raw (or granulated) Sugar (I used a mix of 1/4 Cup each)Bowl iii- mix Powdered Sugar, Milk, Lemon Extract and Food Coloring

6. Roll each donut in melted butter. Then roll in Sugar. Sit on a plate then drizzle with Lemon Icing. Enjoy!