rhubarb almond doughnuts
May 21, 2012 Doughnuts! Again!
Rhubarb! Again!
And I can tell you it’s not the last you’ll see of either.
When I first thought to make rhubarb doughnuts I really wasn’t sure how to incorporate it. It’s kind of a weird ingredient to add straight to batter. Why you ask?
- tart + sour in taste
- texture of slimy celery before cooking down
- fibrous
- slightly gummy when cooked down
I knew I didn’t want to add chopped rhubarb to the batter without first cooking it down. That texture just didn’t seem appealing trapped in a doughnut.
So I decided to cook it down with just a small amount of honey and then puree it. Since the doughnut is already sweetened I didn’t think the rhubarb would need quite as much honey. My hope was that after pureeing the mixture it would be about the same consistency as pumpkin puree. I referred to my pumpkin doughnut recipe, altered it a bit, then crossed my fingers.
Totally worked!
The rhubarb really locks the moisture into this doughnut and creates an even thicker, chewier texture. Chewy in a good way, not chewy as in rubbery. I infused it with almond extract for a little kick of flavor which ended up pairing nicely with the rhubarb.
For the topping I combined sucanat-powdered sugar with the rest of the pureed rhubarb and spread it on each doughnut. Next, I sprinkled chopped raw almonds overtop for a little crunch and extra almond flavor.
Rhubarb Almond Doughnuts [yields 6]
- 1/2 cup gluten free oat flour
- 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
- 3 Tbsp almond meal
- 3 Tbsp sunflower oil
- 1/3 cup sucanat/pure cane sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup rhubarb puree – chilled, see recipe below
- 6 Tbsp unsweetened milk
- 1.5 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Preheat your oven to 350* and grease your doughnut pan with butter, coconut oil, or cooking spray.
- In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients and mix together with a spoon.
- In another bowl whisk together all wet ingredients until smooth. Make sure the rhubarb puree chilled or at room temp, but not hot.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix with a large spoon until just combined. The batter should be pourable. Do not over-stir.
- Spoon into the doughnut molds just below the top of the pan [about 1/8-1/4”].
- Bake on the middle rack for 20-25min until golden brown. A toothpick should come out clean but not dry.
- Let cool for 5min, then loosen the edges, and turn onto a cooling wrack.
- Let fully cool before frosting.
notes: If you have extra batter your doughnuts most likely bake faster. This batter fits perfectly into my 6-mold pan. For high elevation, use 3/4 tsp baking powder and turn the temp up to 375*. Almond meal can be ground from raw almonds until you’re left with a fine mealy flour and no hard pieces.
*Rhubarb Puree
- 2.5 cups rhubarb, chopped in 1/2” pieces
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 Tbsp tapioca starch
- In a pot over medium-low heat combine all ingredients and stir.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently until fully broken down and thick. ~20min
- Turn off the heat and [carefully!] puree in a food processor or with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Pour in a bowl and cool in the fridge uncovered. Measure out 1/3 cup of this for the doughnut batter.
Rhubarb Glaze
- 1/4 cup rhubarb puree, chilled
- 1/4 cup sucanat-powdered sugar
- Mix together with a spoon or fork until well combined. It will have the consistency of a smooth jelly.
- Store in the fridge if you’re not using right away.
- Spread on doughnuts and top with chopped raw almonds.
notes: Regular powdered sugar also works. Check the link above for a simple tutorial on making your own.
My new favorite.
For sure.
…
1 – HAPPPPPY Birthdayyyyy [this past Sunday] to my MOM!!! Sending LOVE + HUGS from afar!! xo
2 – If you didn’t see my guest post yesterday, head over to Yes, I Want Cake and check it out!
3 – There was a third thing but I forget…hate that!
Ashley
dessert, gluten free 
Reader Comments (18)
Ashley--> Yup, so easy. Just put sucanat in a blender and blend until powdery!
Ashley--> Definitely would be awesome on ice cream!
Ashley--> Thanks, Cait!
Ashley--> Haha, thanks!!!
Ashley--> Thanks, Andrea! Don't forget you can also make them in a muffin tin! They will just take a little longer to bake. :)
Ashley--> Thanks so much, Heather!
Ashley--> I'm so glad you liked them! I have yet to make GF brownies but really need to get on that!
What is your fav doughnut recipe?? I have 2 sets of parents coming in for the weekend and thought I would make them some, but having a hard time deciding on which one :)
Ashley--> Tough question!! Every time I make a new one I'm like, "THIS is my favorite!" I think I would have to say the cinnamon cake + molasses. Molasses is a little wintery, so I definitely recommend the key lime! Or, the blood orange [just use a regular orange] with chocolate frosting were also a favorite.
difficult recipe for beginner cooks? I'm not very skilled in the kitchen, but I'm learning. I tend to make a lot of mistakes by not reading the recipe correctly or skimming over things too fast. I should really learn not to do that ha!
Ashley--> They're fairly simple as far as not needing a hand blender and no creaming of butter and sugar, etc. Cooking the rhubarb is simple but just takes a little extra time. If you follow the directions you should be okay. I have a long list of doughnut recipes if you want to try a more basic one first...maybe peanut butter cup or cinnamon!