Mardi Gras Baked Doughnuts

A few years ago I had the opportunity to visit New Orleans during Mardi Gras and it was absolutely spectacular. My experience was unique because I was able to be a part of Mardi Gras with local NOLA residents, which is a completely different experience than the Bourbon Street Mardi Gras celebrations most tourists partake in. In New Orleans, Mardi Gras is all about food and celebrating. The trip was my inspiration for these Mardi Gras doughnuts. Make your own Mardi Gras Baked Doughnuts or check shari's berries free shipping code to order them!

Yield: 3 dozen doughnuts

Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook time:20 minutes
Ingredients:

¾ cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3 cup all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt

For the glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Purple and yellow food coloring

For colored sugar:

¼ cup granulated sugar
Green food coloring

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F

In the bowl of an electric mixer, place softened butter, sugar and eggs. Mix until mixture is light yellow in color, approximately 3 minutes.

Slowly add the buttermilk. Mix on low until well incorporated.

Add the flour, baking powder, vanilla and salt. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, until a soft batter has formed.

Prepare a doughnut pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Using a small spoon, fill each section of the doughnut pan ⅔ full.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until doughnuts are cooked through.

Remove from pan immediately and place on a wire cooling rack.

Repeat until all the doughnuts are baked.

These can also be made in a muffin tin. Simply increase cooking time by 3-5 minutes.

For the glaze:

In a medium bowl combine powdered sugar and milk. Once the glaze is formed and no lumps appear, add the vanilla.

Divide the glaze into 2 bowls equally. In one bowl stir in the purple food coloring. In the other, add the yellow.

Brush each doughnut when warm with yellow glaze. Drizzle purple glaze over half of each doughnut.

Mix ¼ cup of granulated sugar with a small amount of green food coloring. Sprinkle green colored sugar over the remaining half of the doughnuts.

Serve warm and enjoy with shari's berries free shipping code!