BY JULIANA LABIANCA
Amanda Stookey can thank her parents—and a layoff—for getting her into the dog-bakery business: In 2014, her mom and dad complained that they couldn’t find nutritious treats to feed their spaniel mix, so the longtime baker whipped up a batch of “bones” loaded with veggies. A couple of years later, when she got laid off from a job in sales, Amanda started focusing on her dog treats, and in May 2016 she launched Dela’s Doggy Desserts, named after a childhood pet. Most of the goodies in her West Jordan, UT, bakery are inspired by human favorites like scones, s’mores, cupcakes, cakes—and doughnuts. These sweet potato versions look like people treats, “but the dogs seem to know the doughnuts are made for them!” she says. “Seeing them get excited is the most fun part of the job.”
ACTIVE: 40 min I TOTAL: 2 hr (plus cooling) I MAKES: 12 to 18
Cooking spray1 sweet potato1 cup old-fashioned oats½ cup whole-wheat flour3 tablespoons vegetable oil1 large egg2 ounces white melting candy, such as almond bark (not cocoa-based)
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Coat a 12-cup mini-doughnut pan with cooking spray.
2. Bake the sweet potato until soft to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool, then remove and discard the skin. Mash the sweet potato in a small bowl.
3. Mix the oats, flour, vegetable oil and egg in a large bowl. Stir in ½ cup of the mashed sweet potato until combined (reserve the remaining sweet potato for another use).
4. Spoon the batter into the doughnut pan until it is flush with the top. Bake until the doughnuts are browned and dry to the touch, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. If you have more batter, repeat to make more doughnuts.
5. Place the candy in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Drizzle the doughnuts with the melted candy or dip the tops in the candy.
FOOD PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE.