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Gender Reveal Doughnuts
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Gender Reveal Doughnuts

Soft fluffy doughnuts - baked or fried - with a sweet surprise filling!  Gender reveal doughnuts are a fun treat to surprise your family and friends.
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Keyword gender reveal ideas, homemade doughnuts, unique baby shower desserts
Prep Time 9 hours 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 9 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12 to 13 doughnuts
Calories 823kcal
Author Lauren

Ingredients

Gender Reveal Doughnuts

  • 1 ⅛ cup whole milk 280ml
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 7g
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted plus additional for greasing bowl 142g
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 ½ cups all purpose flour, spooned + leveled 575g
  • 7 to 8 cups vegetable oil for frying

Boston Cream Style Filling

  • cup granulated sugar 150g
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 30g
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch 25g
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups heavy cream 480ml
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 28g
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 9g
  • pink or blue gel colors

Doughnut Glaze

  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar 220g
  • 1 cup heavy cream 240ml
  • pink and blue gel colors

Instructions

Gender Reveal Doughnuts

  • In a small saucepan, heat the milk over low heat to 105°F to 110°F.  Do not overheat or you'll risk killing the yeast.
  • Transfer the milk to a standing mixer fitted with bread hook attachment.  Add sugar and yeast and mix for 1 minute to dissolve.  Let rest, without mixing, for 5 minutes.
  • Turn the mixer to low speed and add the eggs and melted butter.  Slowly add the flour, in 2 to 3 batches. Once all the flour is added, increase speed to medium low for 1 minute.
  • The dough should be sticky to the touch, but it should pull away from the sides of the bowl.  If it is not, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour.  Return speed to low and mix for a full 5 minutes.  Let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the rested dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerated for at least 8 hours or overnight.
  • Cutting the doughnuts: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough to ½-inch thickness.  Cut the dough with a 3-½ inch circular round, press down firmly without twisting.¹  Place cut doughnuts on a sheet pan lined with a floured piece of parchment paper.  Reform the dough and roll out a second or third time until all the dough is cut.
  • Let doughnuts rise in a warm area until double is size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  This can be done by preheating the oven to 200°F, shutting the oven off and leaving it open a crack with the doughnuts inside (this will cut the rise time down to 30-45 minutes).  Or if baking the doughnuts, preheat the oven to 400°F and let doughnuts rise on the stove top.
  • Directions for baking: Transfer the baking sheets with doughnuts to the 400°F oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Directions for frying:  In a deep sided pan² bring 2 quarts of vegetable oil to 365°F to 375°F.  While oil heats, prepare a flat surface or rack lined with paper towels to place the fried doughnuts.  Carefully transfer a few doughnuts from the sheet pan to the hot oil - if the doughnuts rose in the oven you may need a spatula.  Fry on each side for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until golden brown, removing with a slotted spoon.

Boston Cream Style Filling

  • Combine ⅔ cup sugar, flour, cornstarch and a spinach of salut in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in eggs and heavy cream, continuously whisking until mixture just begins to boil and thicken, about 10 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat so the mixture gently bubbles and cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (when you draw a line through the mixture the line should hold it's shape.)
  • Stir in butter, vanilla and desired food color to represent 'boy' or 'girl'.  Strain through a mesh sieve to remove any lumps and let cool to room temperature before transferring to a pastry bag.
  • To fill the doughnuts:  Insert a chopstick or straw inside the doughnut and wiggle it around to make room for the pastry cream.  Cut a very small amount of the pastry bag tip, insert into the chopstick hole and fill with the pastry cream, stopping before it flows outside the doughnut.  
    Gender Reveal Doughnuts Pastry Cream Filling

Doughnut Glaze

  • In a shallow bowl, whisk together confectioner's sugar and heavy cream.  Using a toothpick, swirl in the two 'boy or girl' colors.  Gently dip the doughnut, turning slightly to create a swirl/marbling effect.   
    Gender Reveal Doughnuts Swirl Glaze
  • Gender Reveal Doughnut
  • Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes for glaze to harden.  Since the glaze is thicker, it will not dry all the way through but more like a traditional Boston cream doughnut glaze.
  • Serve immediately.  Fried doughnuts will keep for up to 4 days in an air tight container, stored in the refrigerator.  Baked doughnuts will stay soft for up to 1 day, after that they will need to be warmed to soften.

Notes

¹A doughnut cutter, cookie cutter or any random house hold object is good.  I ended up using a cocktail shaker because it was the perfect size with a sharp edge.  Try not to twist the cutter, this will prevent the doughnuts from rising fully during the second rise.
²For frying, my favorite is my cast iron enamel dutch oven.  I got mine from TJ Maxx in the housewares section years ago.  This 7 quart oval enamel dutch oven is the most similar to mine.  It sees A LOT of use, but they're pretty pricey.  A heavy bottom round pot can get the job done too.

Nutrition

Calories: 823kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 1340IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg