Almond, rosewater and chocolate donut cakes

These are more like lovely little almond cakes than donuts, but they work really well in the ring shape. If rosewater is not your thing, leave it out and add a little more vanilla extract. Rosewater can vary in strength, so add it to taste, with some caution.

Almond, rosewater and chocolate donut cakes Credit: Chris Middleton

• makes

  12

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 115 g (⅓ cup) rice malt syrup
• 240 g (2 cup) almond meal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 1 tsp rosewater
• melted butter, for greasing
• edible dried rose petals and slivered pistachios, to decorate

Chocolate glaze

• 100 g dark chocolate (70–85% cocoa solids), chopped
• 125 ml (½ cup) thickened (double/heavy) cream 

Cooling time 15 minutes

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced). 

Generously grease two 6-hole 80 ml (⅓ cup) capacity donut tins with the melted butter. (If you don't have two, don't worry, they will be fine cooked in two batches.)

Whisk the eggs and rice malt syrup together until the syrup dissolves. Stir in the almond meal, baking powder, vanilla extract and rosewater to taste.

Put the batter in a piping bag fitted with a 1.5 cm plain nozzle (or use a large sealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off) and pipe the mixture into the prepared donut holes (alternatively, you can spoon the batter in). Fill each hole about two-thirds full.

Bake for 10–12 minutes or until well-risen and just firm to touch. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Carefully loosen the donuts and turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the chocolate glaze, put the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring just to the boil. Pour over the chocolate and stir until melted and combined. Set aside to cool and thicken slightly, if necessary.

Dip the cooled donuts into the glaze and sprinkle with rose petals and slivered pistachios.

These donut cakes will keep for 2–3 days in an airtight container.

Recipe and image from Incredible Bakes That Just Happen to be Refined-Sugar Free by Caroline Griffiths (Smith Street Books, $39.99 hbk) .

View more refined sugar-free recipes from Incredible Bakes here.

View our Readable feasts review and more recipes from the book here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.