Baked Apple Caramel Donuts

The only reason I made these donuts (doughnuts?) is because my mom just bought a donut pan. 

I think it was an impulse buy. 

Why else would anyone buy a donut pan?

Muffin pans I can get behind. They're multifunctional. You can use them for  popovers, cupcakes, toast cups, something else and I'm sure something else. 

Donut pans though......
I can't think of another thing to use a donut pan for.
Maybe a bagel?

I don't understand the purpose of this pan. Why would you ever bake a donut when donuts are meant to be fried?

Deep fried. 

In oil.

Lots of it.

Not baked.

Period.

I might of just given you a clue to what I thought about these donuts. 

They were good. They just weren't great.

That's what happens when you mess with the natural order of things.

You get food that is sub par.

They tasted more like a muffin than a donut. I knew they were baked but I still kept expecting them to have a crunchy fried outside.

The caramel, on the other hand, was anything but sub par.

It was delicious, super easy and the perfect consistency.

I'll definitely be making it again.... just not on these donuts.

Keep to the natural order of things and fry your donuts.

Baked Caramel Apple Donuts

Makes about 48 mini donuts

Source: Shutter Bean

1 ¼ cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

2 eggs at room temperature

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 medium apples peeled and shredded

1 ½ cups chewy caramel candies

3 tbsp whole milk or cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray donut pans really well and set aside. Mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs and both sugars until smooth. Whisk in oil and vanilla. Stir liquid mixture into flour until just combined. Stir in apples. Carefully spoon the batter into the prepared donut pans until almost full. Bake until golden. (About 15 - 20 minutes.)

3. In a small, microwaveable bowl, combine the caramel and milk. Microwave until smooth, stirring at 1 minute intervals. For small donuts dip them into the caramel. For large donuts spoon the caramel on top.