1 c buttermilk 1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ c dark molasses 1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 T lard, melted and cooled 2 eggs
4½ to 5½ c flour 2 c sugar
1 T baking soda Vegetable oil for deep frying
1 tsp ground ginger
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Pour the buttermilk, molasses and lard into a bowl and mix well. Combine
4½ cups of the flour, the baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg and sift
them onto a plate. Set both mixtures aside.In a deep bowl, beat the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar with a wire whisk or a rotary or electric beater for 4 or 5 minutes, or until the mixture falls in a slowly dissolving ribbon from the beater when it is lifted from the bowl. Beat in the buttermilk mixture. Then add the sifted dry ingredients about ½ cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Cover the bowl with wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Line one or two large baking sheets with wax paper. Cut off about ¼ of the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Brush a rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out about 1/3 inch thick. If the dough sticks, dust a little flour over and under it. With a 2¾-inch doughnut cutter, cut out as many doughnuts as you can and, using a wide metal spatula, transfer them to the paper-lined pans. Refrigerate until ready to fry. Break off another ¼ of the dough, roll it out, cut out more doughnuts and refrigerate as before. Repeat until all the dough has been used, but do not reroll the scraps or the doughnuts made from them may be tough. Instead use a 1-inch cutter to formmballs out of the scraps.
Pour oil into a deep fryer or large, heavy saucepan to a depth of 3 inches and heat it to a temperature of 360° on a deep-frying thermometer. At the same time place ½ cup of sugar in a paper bag and set it aside.
Deep-fry the doughnuts 4 or 5 at a time, turning them with a slotted spoon for 3 minutes, or until they are puffed and brown. Drain the doughnuts briefly on paper towels, then drop 2 at a time into the bag and shake to coat them with sugar. (Add sugar to the bag as needed.) Place the doughnuts on a platter to cool while you fry and sugar the rest. Makes about 2 dozen doughnuts and 4 to 5 dozen doughnut balls.
