Doughnut Muffin Recipe From ‘The Sugar Hit’

Every week, we’re spotlighting a different food blogger who’s shaking up the blogosphere with tempting recipes and knockout photography. Below, Sarah Coates of The Sugar Hit plays mad scientist and crosses a doughnut with a muffin. The results are nothing short of brilliant.

Photo: Sarah Coates

Donut Muffins with Cherry Jam & Scandi Sugar
Serves: 12

Let’s break down the anatomy of this treat. You might already be familiar with it? It’s a soft, spiced muffin, filled with a splodge of jam and then dipped in melted butter and rolled in spiced sugar.

My particular donut muffin is spiced with nutmeg, and made with buttermilk, which gives it a definitively donut-y air. The filling is cherry jam, into which I stir some vanilla and lemon zest, and the sugar is given a Scandi-inspired twist with a mixture of cardamom and cinnamon.

I hate to use a boring adjective, but yum. You guys? Yum. The actual cake part of these muffins is not just an afterthought — it’s soft and lush and buttery and, yes, donutty!

The jammy center is delicious and actually packs a flavor punch; it’s not just a sweet fruit goo of indiscriminate origin. And the buttery, sugary crust, with its Scandinavian whisper of cardamom, is what keeps you eyeing the remaining muffins as their numbers slowly dwindle.

For the muffins:
1 stick (115 grams) butter, at room temperature
¾ cup (185 grams) caster sugar
1 egg
2¼ cup (340 grams) plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda (bicarb soda)
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup (250 milliliters) buttermilk

To fill and coat:
½ cup cherry jam
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Zest of ½ lemon (optional)
½ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cardamom
¾ stick (75 grams) butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line a 12-cup muffin tray with muffin papers.

Place the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer) and cream together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until completely incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg to the bowl, and begin mixing them in slowly. Stream in the buttermilk as you go, and continue mixing until everything is incorporated.

Take about ? of the batter, and divide it evenly among the muffin papers - about a heaped tablespoon in each. Make an indent in the batter for the jam to sit in.

Stir together the jam, vanilla and lemon and place a small teaspoonful into each muffin. Divide the remaining batter between the muffins, trying to cover the jam, as best you can (don’t lose sleep over it).

Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and springing back when touched. Leave the muffins to cool for at least 15 minutes. To top them, stir together the sugar and spices and place in a shallow bowl. Place the butter into a small bowl.

Dip the top of each muffin, first into the butter, and then coat it generously in the spiced sugar. When all the muffins are done, you can serve them. They’re great warm.

More muffins to moon over:

Savory Rosemary and Goat Cheese Muffin Recipe

The Secret to Making the Cruffin, a Croissant-Muffin Hybrid

Chocolate Chunk Muffin Recipe

What’s your favorite hybrid food? Tell us below!