Glazed Doughnut Muffins

Mmmmm doughnuts. Who doesn't love them? I love that this version comes in muffin form and tastes just like cake doughnuts without being fried! Therefore they are easier, healthier, with less frying mess to clean up and they taste just as good as the real thing. I saw this recipe over on Fine Cooking and knew I had to try it. After reading through the reviews I made a few adaptations of my own to add flavor, increase muffin height, slightly change texture and opted to go for a doughnut glaze rather than a buttered cinnamon sugar coating. 
Now the only problem I have is that I want to eat them for breakfast, brunch, lunch, linner and dinner. I'm excited to try other variations of this muffin in the future (like orange cranberry, lemon poppy seed, dulce de leche, blueberry or jam filled, chocolate or pumpkin). Endless and delightfully delicious possibilities. Enjoy!

Glazed Doughnut Muffins
Yields 1 dozen

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp buttermilk
10 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk and buttermilk, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using and electric hand mixer on medium speed, blend together butter and sugar until well combine, about 30 seconds. Mix in eggs one at a time mixing after each addiction. Blend in vanilla. Using a wooden spoon to mix, add flour mixture in three separate batches, alternating with two additions of the milk mixture, mixing just until combine after each addition (batter will be thick). Divide batter among 12 paper lined muffin cups (in a non-stick muffin tin) filling each one nearly full (about 1/3 cup batter per each). Bake in preheated oven 15 - 20 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. 
During the last few minutes of cooling prepare glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Dip each muffin in glaze, while twirling and rotating to evenly coat tops (and allowing it a few seconds to get a good layer of coating on), then lift and allow excess glaze to run off. Enjoy warm or allow cupcakes to rest at room temperature about 5- 10 minutes until glaze has set. Store in an airtight container.

*recipe updated 10/25/12, I made these a second time around today and omitted the lemon juice and used real buttermilk instead. If you don't have buttermilk, simply add just over a tsp of lemon juice to 1 cup + 2 Tbsp milk.

Recipe Source: adapted lightly from Fine Cooking