# Deep fry cake donuts advice



## Emcee (Nov 16, 2020)

Hi all, 
New member here. I'm a pastry chef and never worked with deep fried desserts before, so looking for some advice. 
I am trying to make cake donuts using the Belshaw fryer and type K donut dispenser. The dispenser works well, no issues there. They are about 3" wide and am putting the temp at 375. 
I feel like they are absorbing too much shortening and not coming up with a nice shape (the middle is bubbling). I'm not using a donut mix. Also looking for some recipes, if you know of any that you would be willing to share.
Do you have any advice? Would be very appreciative to hear anything. Many thanks.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

I haven't fried donuts since pastry school but I do remember that donut batter is quite fussy. Dough/batter temp is important, as is distance from the depositor to the fat line. I found a technical manual online that is totally refreshing my memory: (the last page has good troubleshooting)


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

I fried doughnuts for a living and I'll second what chefpeon says about the dough batter.
My experience however was with a mix that I added warm water to. You may need to go back to the recipe and look at the baking powder amount. Usually greasy doughnuts means too low of an oil temp but you're up to 375, so something else is going on.


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## BluePEI (Oct 22, 2020)

What fat are you using in the donuts and for cooking? The only cake style donuts I have worked with in the past used lard for both. Old school. Are you using multiple temperature zones when cooking?


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

Multiple temperature zones???? Only a vat of 350 degree oil. I used "Melfry" shortening from Sysco years ago. I have no clue if it is still around.


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## BluePEI (Oct 22, 2020)

The Belshaw cooker/depositors I worked with had dual temperature zones. One in the initial tank and a second zone after the donuts were flipped.


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