Lemon Raspberry Unicorn Donuts

This post was sponsored by the National Processed Raspberry Council.

 I’m just still having a whole heap of fun with the unicorn trend.  So here we are.

I kept seeing those galaxy glazed treats floating around everywhere, so I was excited to try a less difficult galaxy glaze in my own kitchen with just two colors: white & raspberry red.  I’m really into stars and constellations right now (I think they’re pretty) and I’m hoping my future baby girl will think they’re pretty too because I’ve registered for constellation sheets for her.  I mean, I don’t think kiddos can make out shapes for a while so it’s all gonna look like mush to her early on. 

Speaking of baby things…I recently bought some books for the nursery and Andrew was all like, “she can’t hardly see when she’s born?! Why do we need books?”  Ummm, clearly because they’re gonna look pretty on the shelf. 

This recipe is so bright, vibrant and lemon-raspberry-y.  All qualities that appeal to me so much in summertime.  Doesn’t the lemon-raspberry flavor combo just scream, “i’m so fresh!”? I think it does. 

My happiest raspberry memory was growing up I went to Utah with my BFF and we stayed at her grandma’s house where there were raspberry bushes galore.  I remember thinking raspberries were just kinda a meh fruit until then.  After that summer, raspberries became my favorite berry of all berries.  And raspberries have more fiber than any other berry.  Who knew?!

Since fresh, right-off-the-bush raspberries aren’t an option in Texas, frozen raspberries are a perfect solution since they’re frozen at the peak of ripeness (which in my mind = all the delicious, yummy, berry-ness gets locked inside for me to enjoy anytime of year).  AND frozen raspberries don’t end up moldy in the back of my fridge after I forgot about them for 2 weeks.

Nope, they sure don’t.  

They stay cool, cozy and mold-free in my freezer.  (psss. I had a ridiculous dream about our freezer that I’ll actually be sharing later this week…I just know you’re on the edge of your seat waiting for that one lol).

Now.  I don’t at all consider myself a person who excels at cake decorating, so I’m telling you that these unicorn donuts really weren’t hard to make.  They came out so super cute that I don’t want to eat the last couple that are still in my kitchen because CUTENESS and they look pretty on my counter! If I can handle making them, you can handle making them.

Really, finding fondant is the hardest part.  I found mine on my grocery store baking aisle.  The fondant will make your unicorn ears (bonus points if you use raspberry juice as paint to make the ears more ear like…or perhaps that creeps you out and you just wanna skip that part…that’s a-ok too!).

Then ice cream cones makes the horn.  If unicorns were real I think their horn would actually be made out of an ice cream cone.  It seems fitting, right? 

After the donuts are baked you assemble the recipe into the cutest lil’ breakfast / snack / dessert of your life.

Ohhh and if you buy a massive bag of frozen raspberries for this recipe, perhaps you’ll need some recipe ideas.  I’d recommend this PB & Raspberry J Pie (that looks like it’d be excellent as is OR sprinkled over a creamy bowl of oatmeal / a pancake) OR I’m always a sucker for a good ol’ baked oatmeal.


 

Lemon Raspberry Unicorn Donuts

Yield: makes 9 unicorn donuts

Prep Time: 30 minutes (+ 15 minutes of inactive cooling time)

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

lemon-raspberry donuts
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 tsp vanilla
zest from 1 lemon
3/4 cup frozen raspberries

glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2-4 tsp milk
1/2 cup frozen raspberries, mashed

unicorn decor
ice cream cones
fondant

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  In a bowl, combine all donut ingredients, except frozen raspberries, until a batter forms.  Fold in frozen raspberries.  Pour batter into a greased donut pan and bake for 13-15 minutes.  Allow to cool before popping out of donut tin and cooling completely.  

Now make your glaze.  In a bowl, combined powdered sugar with 2-4 tsp milk, add milk until a glaze consistency forms.  Place your mashed frozen raspberries in a fine mesh strainer and drain the vibrant raspberry juice from the raspberry seeds.  Add raspberries juice to white glaze and swirl a couple times to make a red swirl in the glaze, but don't totally mix in the glaze.  You want there to be a red swirl in the white so when you pour the glaze over it looks all epic.  Now pour over your donuts.  

Adorn with ice cream cone horns and fondant unicorn ears.  To make your unicorn horns, simply chip away most of an ice cream cone to make a smaller horn.  To make your unicorn ears, cut rolled out fondant into triangles then fold up edges.  Use a paintbrush to 'paint' on raspberry juice for the inner ear.

And there ya go! Unicorn donuts!