Baked pumpkin donuts

Set the oven to 350.

Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda into a big bowl so there are no lumps.

Add the salt and the pumpkin pie spice, then whisk the dry mix together.

In a smaller bowl combine the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, egg, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract.

Whisk the wet mix together, breaking up any lumps in the sugar.

Grease the wells of the donut pans liberally with baking spray or butter.

Pour the wet into the dry and mix only until just combined, stopping as the last streaks of flour disappear, so the gluten is not activated and the donuts stay soft.

Transfer the batter to a piping bag and pipe the wells about two thirds full.

Bake at 350F about 12 minutes, checking at 10 for the shallower pan; they should spring back when touched gently or a skewer should come out clean.

For the cinnamon sugar, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

For the maple glaze, whisk the powdered sugar with the maple syrup and about two teaspoons of milk, adding the liquid a little at a time; it looks chunky before the sugar absorbs the liquid.

Add a pinch of salt to the glaze.

While the donuts are warm, dip them in the cinnamon sugar; for a heavier coat brush them lightly with melted butter first so it acts as glue.

Spoon the thicker glaze over the donuts and let it drizzle down rather than dipping them, which puts crumbs in the glaze; set them on a tray to drip.

Variation: add a little cinnamon or spice to the glaze for colour and depth, or a quarter teaspoon of cardamom to the cinnamon sugar.