As of a few months ago I never thought much about baked donuts. I’m from New England, and a donut comes from Dunkin Donuts or Honey Dew. And it’s fried in SHORTENING. Forty some years ago I used to watch a terrific guy called Nello make donuts by hand in the back of the Dunkin Donuts by Riley Plaza in Salem Massachusetts. He was adament, “It’s SHORTENING, not fat. Fat doesn’t sound good!” A chocolate honey dipped warm from the SHORTENING was really a treat. I’d probably still not think much about baked donuts, but my wife found a baked donut recipe on Facebook she said I should try. I was skeptical, but intrigued enough to buy a pair of Donut Baking Pans (I bought two so I could bake a dozen donuts in the oven at the same time.)

Prior to these “Zesty Baked Lemon Cake Donuts” none of the baked donut recipes impressed me very much. These donuts are really great – my only complaint is the recipe makes six, not twelve. Continue reading →