These delicious baked cake doughnuts are tender and moist the way a cake doughnut should be. Lemon juice and lemon zest add a nice citrusy flavor to the doughnut and then they're topped with an all-natural strawberry glaze.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Place the sugar in a large bowl and zest the lemon on top of the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Add the milk and the egg and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon juice and whisk to combine. Add the melted butter it to the liquid ingredients in a steady stream and whisk constantly while adding it.
Add the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold the ingredients until no bits of flour remain. The batter will be a little lumpy, but that is okay. Do not overmix the batter or it will be tough.
Spoon the batter into an 18-inch pastry bag. Twist the top to close it and cut an 1/2-inch opening in the other end. Pipe the batter into the 6 doughnut wells of the doughnut pan.
Bake the doughnuts for 10-12 minutes. Rotating the pan halfway through the baking. The doughnuts are done when the you press them with your finger, and they spring back. The tops will be lightly golden brown.
Turn the doughnuts out on a wire rack and cool completely before adding the glaze.
For the Strawberry Glaze
While the donuts are cooling place the freeze-dried strawberries in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to pulverize into a powder. Combine the powdered sugar, freeze dried strawberries and 1/4 cup of the cream or milk and stir together. Add the remaining liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
Dip the doughnuts into the glaze and swirl to coat the tops and halfway down the sides. Place on a rack or parchment paper. Sprinkle with the pulverized freeze-dried strawberries. The doughnuts are now ready to eat. They are best the day they are baked.
Notes
This recipe can be doubled. If making 12 doughnuts and you only have one doughnut pan, allow the pan to cool to room temperature before baking the second batch of doughnuts.