Chocolate Cake Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze

I have come to a sad realization. You cannot fake a doughnut. There is a reason why doughnuts are so delicious. They are cooked in a vat of oil. When they are not cooked in a fat of oil, they are simply doughnut shaped cakes.

I have tried two recipes now in my doughnut pan, and both have simply tasted like doughnut shaped cakes. They still taste good, but they are not doughnuts. I am very sad about this fact, but I have not quite given up. I am going to try a few more recipes just to make sure. However, I will post my recipe anyway, because they are tasty, and the kids still thought they were doughnuts, which made me the coolest mom in the world!

Chocolate Cake Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze
From Family Circle: April 2010
1  cup all-purpose flour
1/4  cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2  teaspoon baking soda
1/4  teaspoon salt
1/2  cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2  cup packed dark-brown sugar
1  egg
4  teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
1  teaspoon vanilla extract
2  cups confectioners sugar
3  tablespoons milk
Sprinkles, toasted coconut, mini chips
1  tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In small bowl, whisk buttermilk, sugar, egg, butter and vanilla until smooth. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; whisk until blended and smooth.
3. Spoon batter into a large resealable plastic bag. Cut off a corner and squeeze batter into prepared indents, about 2/3 full. Smooth tops. Bake at 325 degrees F for 13 minutes, until doughnuts spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan on rack 3 minutes, then carefully turn out directly onto rack to cool.
4. For white-frosted doughnuts: In small bowl, combine 1 cup of the confectioners sugar and 1 tablespoon of the milk. Stir until smooth. Dip cooled doughnuts into bowl and allow excess frosting to drip back into bowl. Transfer to rack. Top with sprinkles, coconut or mini chips, if desired. Transfer any extra frosting to a plastic bag.
5. For chocolate-frosted doughnuts: Combine remaining 1 cup confectioners sugar, the cocoa and remaining 2 tablespoons milk. Stir until smooth. Dip cooled doughnuts into bowl and allow excess frosting to drip back into bowl. Transfer to rack. Top with sprinkles, coconut or mini chips, if desired. Transfer any extra frosting to a plastic bag.
6. For drizzle: Snip small corner off bags of frosting. Decoratively drizzle over cooled doughnuts.