Glazed Jelly Doughnut Cupcakes

Ever since National Doughnut Day I've been wanting to make these cupcakes.  I love me a jelly doughnut and what better doughnut to make than a jelly filled one.  I had seen other recipes for doughnuts similar, but none that included a glaze and a filling... because seriously, what's a doughnut without a delicious coating of glaze!?!? YUM!

I think the key to this recipe is the hint of maple syrup and the cinnamon. There is just enough of each to add a flavor that makes these cupcakes stand out from a regular white or vanilla cupcake. I also used my favorite store bought raspberry jam to fill them. You could use any filling you wanted really... the possibilities are endless.

At the party I served these at, I think I ate three. Yeah, they were THAT good!

JavaCupcake's Glazed Jelly Doughnuts

½ cup butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup maple syrup

2 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ scant teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup milk

1 cup of your favorite jam or curd
vanilla glaze

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Line Cupcake pan with liners.
2. Cream butter and sugars together.*
3. One at a time, add the eggs and cream after each.  Don't forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl!
4. Add the maple syrup and combine.
5. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
6. Add the flour in three parts adding half the milk in between the flour. Mix only until combined.  Sometimes, I'll even mix the last bit of flour by hand, just to make sure I don't over mix it.
7. Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Glaze
¼ cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla

1. In a bowl, whisk together ingredients until smooth.
2. Really, it doesn't get much easier.

To Assemble:

1. Prepare glaze.  Dip each cupcake upside down in the glaze and shake off the excess.  Set aside to harden.
2. Using THIS TECHNIQUE, fill the cupcakes with your favorite jam or curd.  Make sure to squeeze enough so that some filling comes out the top.

Tips & Tricks:
Have you ever wondered what it really meant to "cream together" two things?  To me... it means throwing those items in my stand mixer, turning it on high then walking away for at least 4-5 minutes.  Seriously,  walk away.  I might come back once to scrape the sides of the bowl down, but I really need the mixer to do it's thing and bring together the ingredients, usually butter and sugars.  Sometimes, I might even throw in the eggs and go for another 2-3 mins. You want that creamed mixture to be light, fluffy and all the sugars broken down.  It really makes a huge difference in the final product!