Pumpkin Doughnuts with Salted Caramel Glaze

Things are finally settling into the Fall rhythm around here.  Kinda sorta.  Homework with Autism probably involves more than the usual amount of arm-twisting.  And I'm still on the hunt for a way to try to get the Princess to really grasp the concept that numbers mean things.  She's hit a wall with math, and I suspect it's a lack of understanding the correspondence between the symbol and the number of things it represents.  There is probably a certain ironic justice in the universe that is forcing a woman who was always a terrible tutor to not only slow down but to try to explain things that are intuitive concepts for most people - to someone who is just this side of nonverbal.

Everybody needed a pick-me-up this weekend.  And, as it happens, a friend had asked early this week if I had a recipe for GF baked pumpkin doughnuts.  I didn't.  But I couldn't see why I couldn't manage one.  What do you think?

 These were adapted from King Arthur Flour's Pumpkin Doughnut recipe on that wonderful company's blog.  Go check it out for more tips and suggestions.  The donuts themselves are also dairy-free.  If you wish, you can make the glaze dairy-free by using a dairy-free margarine and soy or almond milk.

Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts

1 c. Fancy Flour Blend, other GF AP flour, OR
1/3 c. millet flour
1/3 c. sweet rice flour
3/4 c. +2 Tbsp white rice flour
1/3 c. tapioca starch
2 Tbsp potato starch
1 tsp guar gum
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp King Arthur Cake Enhancer (optional)
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1/3 c. canola oil
1-1/4 c. granulated sugar
1-1/2 c. pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 2 doughnut pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, guar gum, spices, Cake Enhancer (this helps GF baked goods, which are notoriously fast to go stale, to last a little longer), salt, and baking powder.

Whisk to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs until light and frothy.  Add oil and beat until incorporated.  With mixer on low, add pumpkin, vanilla, and sugar.  Scrape down sides, then beat again until smooth.  Add dry ingredients and beat until combined.

Fill the wells of the doughnut pans.  King Arthur's suggestion to use a 1 Tbsp cookie scoop worked pretty well.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into one of the donuts at the deepest part of a well comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then invert:

Cool completely.

Caramel Glaze

2 Tbsp butter or Dairy-free margarine
1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
3-4 Tbsp milk or almond/soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. powdered sugar

In a small, shallow saucepan, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar.

When melted and combined, stir in vanilla.  Add powdered sugar and milk alternately in small additions until all sugar is incorporated and glaze is a smooth, pou-rable consistency.

Dip each doughnut into the glaze, hold it over the pan for a moment to allow the excess to drip off, then set on a cooling rack to dry.

I topped mine with a sprinkle of black sea salt.  I think it makes a nice contrast.  You can use any coarse salt that you think looks nice.  I liked the orange-and-black Halloween-y look.

So, first of all, enjoy the doughnuts!  And second, know that I'm always open to requests, especially if you've got an old-fashioned recipe you had to give up when you went gluten-free.  Send it along and I'll see if I can convert it for you!  If it gives me an excuse to avoid the math homework.....  ;-)