Catholic Recipe: Golden Flake Buttermilk Doughnuts I

Florence Berger shares her soul cake recipe.

Doughnuts were originally soul cakes, plain round buns. Boys were begging for soul cakes, but not really praying for the souls, just thinking of their own stomachs. A clever cook decided to fix them so that with every bite they would remember why they had been given the cake. Instead of making plain round buns, she made a circular bun with a hole in the middle. In those days the never ending circle was common parlance for everlasting life and our passage to it. The result of her cleverness was a doughnut, a reminder of prayer. Requiescat in pace.

DIRECTIONS

Add sugar slowly to eggs, beating constantly. Stir in buttermilk and melted butter or margarine. Mix and sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt; stir in wheat germ. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture. Chill dough until easy to handle. Roll out 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick on floured pastry board, rolling half the dough at a time. Cut with doughnut cutter. Fry in deep fat heated to 375°-380°, turning once after doughnuts have risen to surface and are golden brown on the underside. Drain on paper towel. Makes 30 to 36 doughnuts, depending on thickness.