Cinnamon Applesauce Cake Doughnuts

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 2 (1/4 ounce) packets dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup margarine
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted and divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar

Recipe

• 1 dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
• 2 add 3 cups flour, applesauce, and next 6 ingredients; beat at low speed of an electric mixer until moistened.
• 3 beat at medium speed for an additional 2 minutes.
• 4 stir in 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft dough.
• 5 turn out onto a well-floured surface.
• 6 knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes); add enough remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
• 7 place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top.
• 8 cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
• 9 punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
• 10 roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness; cut with a lightly floured 2 1/2 inch doughnut cutter.
• 11 combine doughnut holes and any remaining scraps of dough; reroll to 1/2 inch thickness and cut as before.
• 12 place doughnuts on baking sheets coated with cooking spray; brush 2 tablespoons melted margarine over doughnuts.
• 13 let rise, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free place for 40 minutes.
• 14 combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon in a large zip-top heavy-duty plastic bag and set aside.
• 15 bake doughnuts at 425°f for 8 minutes or until golden.
• 16 immediately brush remaining 2 tablespoons melted margarine over baked doughnuts; add doughnuts to plastic bag.
• 17 seal the bag and shake to coat.