Doughnut Muffins

Having a ready supply of jam, I often ponder making jam doughnuts but sadly I don't own a deep fat frier and doughnuts need to be fried. I was therefore intrigued by a recipe for Doughnut Muffins in the January edition of the Good Food Magazine. Today I gave it a go and I have to say it made some very pleasant cakes. They have a taste and texture that is a cross between a cake and a doughnut so for the first few mouthfuls it is not entirely an authenetic doughnut experience. But then you reach the spodge of raspberry jam in the middle and you get the full doughnut hit. And being baked rather than fried they are verging on being a health food. Well... maybe not!

Doughnut Muffins (makes 8-9)

140g (5oz) caster sugar
200g (7oz) plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 pot (100-150ml) natural yoghurt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
140g (5oz) melted butter
9 tsp raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 190°C, gas 5 and put paper cases into the muffin tin. Put the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix. Beat together the yoghurt, eggs and vanilla in a jug and pour this into the bowl. Add the melted butter and mix together quickly until just combined. Spoon two thirds of the mixture into the paper cases then blob a teaspoon of jam into each case before covering with the remaining cake mixture. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Cool for five minutes then move to a cooling rack and sprinkle with caster sugar.