Sometimes you just want something a little bit different for breakfast or a relaxingly laid back brunch, something that just says treat. These banana and cinnamon baked breakfast doughnuts with orange sugar do all this and more. Light and immensely satisfying, these pillowy vanilla and cinnamon scented doughnuts tick all the boxes, plus baking these make them a much healthier alternative to frying and a heck of a lot simpler to make, so all perfect bonus’ for breakfast.  The banana, not only adding to your 5 a day, helps keep these goodies beautifully soft and the orange sugar helps brighten up all the flavours. Great served with fruit, a nice cuppa tea or coffee. Relax and enjoy.

I got the idea for flavoured sugar from Jamie Oliver. Visit his site for more of his recipe inspiration.

Banana and Cinnamon baked doughnuts

Ingredients

250g self rising flour

80g caster sugar

2 large eggs

¼ tsp salt

1tsp ground cinnamon

2 very ripe bananas (mashed)

2tsp baking powder

2 tbsp vegetable oil 

2 tsp vanilla extract

150ml milk

Zest of 2 oranges

Approx 100g granulated sugar (for the topping)

Makes 12 baked doughnuts

Method for banana and cinnamon baked doughnuts

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C in fan oven) Gas Mark 7.

Line the 2 doughnut tins with baking spray and leave to one side. 

Weigh out the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon) and sift into a large mixing bowl. Then add the caster sugar. Stir to combine then leave to one side. 

Mash the bananas with a fork.

Measure the milk into a jug. Crack in the eggs and add the vanilla extract, oil and mashed banana into the liquids. Stir to combine. 

Add the wet ingredients into the dry, gradually to avoid lumps. (Don’t worry too much if there are a few lumps, it’s a bit like making muffins, better not to overmix and have a light batter than to have a super smooth consistency and have heavy doughnuts.)

With a teaspoon, fill each mould ½ full (the mixture rises quite a bit). 

Bake in the middle shelf of the oven for 7-8 minutes. (It honestly doesn’t take long at all – you just want the mixture to be springy to the touch and just coming away from the sides). 

Leave to cool for 5/10 minutes and then using a knife gently go around the outside of each doughnut to loosen and take out of the tin. They should come out easily. Leave on a wire rack to cool. 

While they are cooling you can make the orange sugar. Zest the oranges into a bowl and pour in the granulated sugar a little at a time. The consistency you are after is a dry sandy texture. You are essentially dehydrating the orange zest by combining it to the sugar, so add the sugar gradually so you can add more if needed until you get to the right consistency. 

Serve the breakfast doughnuts with the orange sugar and some fresh fruit. Enjoy.

Best eaten on the day of baking but will keep in an airtight container for a few days after. You can freeze the doughnuts which will keep for a few months in the freezer. The orange sugar can be stored in an airtight container too and will keep for about a month.

Looking for more breakfast inspiration to start the day off right? Why not try my Cardamom and vanilla baked fruit or my Pumpkin spiced pancakes with orange maple syrup and toasted pecans. Love porridge I’ve got a lovely Mango, coconut and lime porridge – a touch of sunshine to start the day – full of sunshine flavours.