Cupcakes may never truly fade from popularity, but lately they seem to have gotten some competition for most-loved snack food. Doughnuts are on the scene! Reviews of crazy new doughnut flavors and tutorials for making them at home have been sprouting up all over the place. Have you noticed?
This new doughnut trend may have started as a hot new item on the menu boards at fancy pastry shops and restaurants (the NY Times mentioned this over a year ago), but it seems to have finally started filtering into home kitchens. If the blogs we read are any judge, a lot of people seem to be getting over their fear of frying and are trying their hand at homemade versions. It seems that this is one case where the reward is definitely worth the effort!
Really, what's not to love? There is some version of the doughnut in almost every world cuisine - think beignets, churros, fritters, and crullers. Whatever you call it, great doughnuts are slightly crisp on the outside and chewy-soft in the middle. They're not too sweet (necessarily), but they're definitely very rich.
We can see the appeal for home cooks, too - even apart from getting a hot doughnut straight from the fryer. Once the basic recipe is mastered, there's definitely a lot of room for creativity and putting our personal spin on things. Add the option for a creamy filling or a flavored glaze on top, and a home cook could really go wild.
What do you think? Are you ready to mix up a batch of sweet dough and get frying?!
Related: Impossible to Resist: Apple Cider Doughnuts
(Image: Flickr member D'Arcy Norman licensed under Creative Commons)
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I know I'd rather go for doughnuts vs a cupcake. Cupcakes are too "tempermental" for me, and I usually get dried cupcakes, and seldomly decent to good cupcakes. Doughnuts are more forgiving, and I've always had a good doughnut, the only thing I have with doughnuts is if they're just too sweet (can't stand Krispie Kreme because of this, just too sweet for my taste). But if it comes to making them myself, I'd say cupcakes are a lot more easier, as said because of fear of frying.
While they're not quite doughnuts, I really like Rosettes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosette_(cookie)
While they don't have a long shelf life, and require a unitasking timbale iron (http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Swedish-Rosettes-Timbales/dp/B00004RFPJ), they are delicious and light.
Doughnutssssssssss.
My boyfriend's mom makes the best handmade doughnuts in the world. They are amazing in every way - I can't wait until I get married because I simply can't justify buying myself a deep fryer quite yet, but when I do get one these will certainly be a weekly staple!
http://www.abbeycatchat.com
If its a baked good I will eat it. Funny I was just thinking about doughnuts the other day as whisk kid had a recipe for some - http://whisk-kid.blogspot.com/2010/03/doughnuts-on-ice.html
never thought of making my own..
saer
http://cravenmaven.wordpress.com
A cupcake I can take or leave, but OH how I adore a well crafted donut....which pretty much does not exist around here. I was just saying the other day that someone should open one of those artisan donut shops with the crazy flavors ala Portland or Seattle.
I used to have this same problem with good croissants until I started making and stashing them in my freezer. Sadly, this just doesn't work with donuts.
nope. macaroons. though i've never even tried one.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123566536
I would always prefer a donut
I have never had a handmade donut. Would LOVE to try making some. I'd need to team up with my husband for the frying portion of the project - he's much better with a pot of hot oil than I am.
But honestly, between cupcakes and donuts, I don't have a clear winner. I love both!
Oh, I sure hope so! My town is itching for a really good doughnut shop (and, yes, we have a dunkin).
No, macaroons are definitely the new cupcake-- Miete in San Francisco is a good place to start.
30 Rock mentioned this in fall 2008.
Definitely also been reading more about macarons being the new cupcake, but haven't actually seen them in stores yet! On the contrary, there is a new store that opened up in the DC area called the Fractured Prune that has hand-dipped, fresh donuts with all kinds of crazy, cupcake-mania like toppings. They are delicious!
A nod to curbappeal. I just read a post the other day that indeed said macaroons are the new cupcake. And I thought doughnuts already had their heyday, what with the KrispyKreme fad of a few years back? I'll take the sophistication and delicacy of a macaroon over a donut anyday. But I do like those old fashioned cakey ones with the sugar glaze...
If doughnuts aren't the new cupcake, they should be! I'm seeing doughnut posts all over the blogging world, even on my own blog. And I'm loving every minute of it. There is nothing better than a fresh, warm doughnut.
Donuts are the new cupcake? What about the Krispy Kreme mania a few years ago? Even according to Sex in the City, cupcakes were the new donut.
"Macaroons" are made with coconut... I assume that everyone is talking about "macarons"... I feel soooo spoiled to live in a city with a Ladurée outpost... they may not be as exquisite as they are on the Rue Royal in Paris, but they are mighty fine...
Oh I don't like the fractured prune. Yuck. Too greasy.
Is it macaroon or macaron? I have a feeling it's the latter, because the former would lend to very many variations. :)
**wouldn't lend to very many variations.
Chicago folks:
Nightwood Cafe serves Enoch's donuts every Sunday for brunch. I highly recommend stopping by. The brunch is fab, but the donuts are also amazing, and both rotate regularly and seasonally.
Mmm, I would take a good doughnut over a cupcake anyday. Cupcakes will always win for cuteness though.
I'm fairly new to circling the food blogosphere, and to living in a city with a significant proportion of foodies, so it's easy to claim "no effect [yet ;) ]" of blog/corporate food trends on myself; but for those of you who've been at this longer, does it matter to you what the trend is, when deciding what to bake for fun? I guess I just don't get some of these trends, cause some of them are kind of hard for the home cook! Doughnutting would mean you have to get lots of oil, if you're not already a fan of frying; making macaroons seems like it would take some equipment (and patience!) that you might not possess yet; so what makes you guys decide to buy into a trend or refuse it? Why forget about eating/making whatever's the current "it" thing and move onto doughnuts, in this case?
(All respect for any answers! Not judging, just flat out curious!)
If you live in the US it can be 'macaroon' or 'macaron', but it's not the coconut version, it's the french macaron. So, sure, 'macaron' is correct, but down-to-earth bakers won't fault you at all for saying 'macaroon' if you're not French. I asked because I feel like a pretentious dumb-ass trying to give anything a french sound.
There have been a bunch of places popping up in LA selling them. I've also seen them being sold at Starbucks and Trader Joe's recently. Not all stores have them, but they're out there. I doubt they're as luscious as Miete's though. Heaven...
I vote cupcakes.
here in Seattle, cupcakes are popular (see: Trophy), but we are starting to get some crazy gourmet doughnuts, too (Frost)
I am desperate to try making the Indian Spiced Whole Grain Doughnuts from Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. Maybe if we call them "artisanal" they will catch on more quickly.
http://www.remarkablydomestic.com
If all of this "blankity-blank is the new whatever-whatever" means there will be more (and better and a bigger variety of) donuts, macarons, and cupcakes in the world, I say hooray!!
Macarons are the new cupcakes... however in a few months doughnuts may be the new macaron ;-)
Doughnuts: timeless.
Cupcakes: timeless.
Grilled doughnuts filled with ice creamat NYC's Garage Restaurant: priceless.
One day my obsession with donuts will catch up with me. But until then, I will enjoy them as much as I can. =D
Lara Ferroni is coming out with a doughnut cookbook this fall! I'm excited. There aren't a lot of doughnut cookbooks out there like there are cupcake cookbooks.
http://www.doughnutcookbook.com/