Spudnuts

(sorry, not the best picture ever)

I love this donut recipe from Helen Black. It makes wonderfully soft, moist raised donuts. The secret ingredient? Mashed potatoes! Yum!

2 packages yeast
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
2 eggs
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
6-7 cups flour

Soften yeast in warm water. Scald milk, add shortening, sugar, salt,
mashed potatoes, eggs, vanilla and beat. Add yeast and enough flour to
make a dough too sticky to knead [Helen said she uses as little flour as
she can because you add more flour when you flour the table to roll out
the donuts]. Let raise until double in size. Roll dough out and cut.
Let raise [she let them raise for 15-20 minutes] and cook in hot oil
[375-400]. Drain on paper towels and glaze.

Glaze
1 pound powdered sugar
2 T margarine
1 t vanilla
Hot water

Add enough hot water to make the glaze thin enough to dip spudnuts in.
Dip both sides of donuts and let excess drain off.

After glazing, them, I like to frost them with a thicker icing. I start with 2-3 cups powdered sugar, then add just enough water to make a thick, white icing. I add a few drops of almond extract and food coloring. Icing is the right consistency if you can easily ice the tops of the donuts with a spoon, but the icing doesn't drip off too fast. Be sure to put sprinkles on immediately, before the icing dries.