Baked Banana Doughnuts with Banana Frosting

A good friend of mine (my lone sourdough pardner') told me about these!  They're awesome!  My kids keep telling me I need to make doughnuts more than once a year.  I tell them, "hey, none of your friend's moms are routinely making biscotti, muffins and scones, so stop giving me a hard time!"  This is the problem with having a cooking site- the bar has been raised and they're not happy with dry cereal anymore!  :)  These are so yummy, I'll have to make them more often.  I always do an apple doughnut in the fall.  To be honest, the only reason I don't make doughnuts more often is it's a little tedious removing them from my pans.  I've been so happy with my bread pans from USA Pans, I keep telling them they need to come out with a baked doughnut pan!  You can certainly make these using a muffin tin, there's nothing wrong with that and they'll taste just as delicious.  But since we don't buy, make that don't eat, (unless they're at Gramma's) "real" doughnuts, I thought the kids would get a kick out of something that looked like the real deal.  I can honestly say I think baked doughnuts taste so much better-you don't feel like you've just taken a swig of vegetable oil after downing your doughnut.  This recipe calls for a cup of sugar.  My bananas were very ripe and overly sweet, so I cut that to 3/4 cup sugar and they were plenty sweet enough.  I may even use half wheat flour next time-they're very light and fluffy.  The frosting ended up being more than enough too-it would probably be good for a double batch.  Enjoy!

1-1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar (3/4 works fine)
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups mashed ripe banana (you'll use about 4 for batter and the frosting)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil

Banana Frosting:
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
2-1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 2 nonstick, 6-count doughnut pans, or a 12-cup muffin tin.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.  In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs, 1-1/4 cups banana, 2 teaspoons vanilla and the oil.  Stir the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined.  Spoon the batter about 3/4 full into the prepared pans.  Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 12 to 15 minutes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.  For the frosting, combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender; pulse until very smooth.  Frost cooled doughnuts.  *If you use a doughnut pan, they may come out easier if you let them cool a little longer before trying to remove them-my kids are so excited to delve into these I probably remove them too quickly!  :)    adapted from Rachael Ray