CAKE DOUGHNUTS, COATINGS, AND GLAZES
Source: nlb
Makes 2 dozen (3-inch) doughnuts, and 2 dozen doughnut holes

Note from source: When I was little, my mother made doughnuts every Saturday. This is the recipe she used and it comes from none other than Betty Crocker.

4 egg yolks, or 2 whole eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp soft shortening
3/4 cup thick buttermilk
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Beat egg yolks well. Beat in sugar and shortening, stir in milk. Sift flour and dry ingredients; beat in until smooth. Turn onto generously floured cloth-covered board. Turn to lightly cover with flour. Roll gently 1/3 inch thick.

Place fat or oil, 3 to 4 inches deep, for deep fat frying in a heavy kettle or deep fat fryer. Heat to 370 to 380 degrees F. (a cube of bread browns in fat in 60 seconds).

Cut dough with floured sharp doughnut cutter. Take board close to kettle to transfer. Life with spatula; slide quickly into hot fat. Fry as many at a time as can be turned easily. turn as they rise to the surface. Fry 2 to 2 minutes total, or just until golden. Life from fat with long fork. Do not prick. Drain on absorbent paper in warm place. Serve plain, sugared or glazed.

To make Sweet Milk Doughnuts:
Use sweet milk in place of buttermilk; use 4 tsp baking power and omit soda.

To Sugar Doughnuts:
Just before serving, shake doughnuts, one at a time, in a paper bag with a little confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar or mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

To Glaze Doughnuts:
Add:
1/3 cup boiling water gradually to:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Mix thoroughly. Dip warm doughnuts into the warm glaze.

To Coat with Nuts and Sugar:
Dip warm doughnuts into warm glaze (above) then into mixture of:
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Chocolate Glaze for Doughnuts:
1 (1 oz) square unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
about 1/4 cup milk
Add melted chocolate and vanilla to confectioners'' sugar. Mix thoroughly and slowly stir in milk, mixing until smooth.