Double Take Doughnuts

If you follow me on Instagram (@sk_gonzales), you might have noticed that I constantly post pictures of desserts. I love sweets! Cupcakes, chocolates, macarons... you name it. If sugar is involved, chances are I'll eat it. And that is especially true with doughnuts! I almost always pick up a box of Moonshine Doughnuts whenever they are at the University of Alberta Farmers' Market, or a pack of Frickin' Delights Donuts whenever I visit the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market (although it has been awhile). You may be aware of my informal "macaron adventures," where I write about macarons made by local businesses. Now I think it's time I do a similar series for "doughnut adventures" as well! My latest doughnut adventure? Double Take Doughnuts!

Double Take Doughnuts.

I first learned about Double Take Doughnuts browsing through #yegfood photos on Instagram. They are a fairly new business, making their first debut back in June. Although I absolutely loved how fantastic the doughnuts looked in the photos, I never really found the time to place an order. Luckily, I heard that Double Take Doughnuts would be at the Santa's Little Helpers Christmas Shopping Extravaganza event at the River Cree Resort & Casino, an easily accessible location for me. Finally, a chance for me to try doughnuts that I spent a long time admiring behind my phone's screen!

Contact information.

When I arrived at the Santa's Little Helpers market, I immediately located the table for Double Take Doughnuts (surprisingly really quick too, given that there were so many other vendors in a crowded room!). I was greeted by Kayla Harris, owner and operator of the business who bakes the doughnuts in her own home. She typically sells them from her home as well. If you check out the ordering process on their Facebook page, you'll find that your doughnut order can be very customizable. At the market, however, set flavours were being sold as a pack of 4 doughnuts for $10. The doughnuts were specifically Christmas themed to kick off the holiday season.

So cute!

My first impression when I opened the box was that the doughnuts smelled SO GOOD! Seriously. Opening the box was just like stepping into a bakery... a sweetness that entices you to indulge in the desserts laid out before your eyes. Another thing that really sets Double Take Doughnuts apart from other businesses is the presentation: it's fun and playful, colourful, but expertly put together.

Vanilla base + green coloured icing + sprinkles.

The first doughnut I decided to try was the vanilla base with a thin, green coloured glaze and festive sprinkles. The doughnut had a lovely bakery smell to it, while the cake base was denser compared to other cake-like doughnuts I've tried/baked myself. Not a bad thing though - this doughnut was excellent! It wasn't too sweet (and I was worried about this because of its sweet, sugary smell!), and the icing made each bite even better. A few people told me that they liked the appearance of this particular doughnut the best as well.

A reindeer! Chocolate base + chocolate buttercream.

I initially wanted to save the reindeer for last (because I perceived it to be the best one in the box since I'm a big fan of reindeer), but I also wanted to eat it at its freshest. The chocolate cake base was not as dense compared to the vanilla, so I thought this doughnut was much "lighter" overall even with the thicker chocolate buttercream as a glaze. I would describe the chocolate taste of this doughnut as being delicate... this is a doughnut that I would eat more of without feeling guilty about overloading on sugar. Pretzel antlers added a contrasting saltiness, chocolate chips for a bit of texture, and a maraschino cherry for a bright red nose complete this super cute Rudolph doughnut.

Vanilla base + chocolate glaze + white chocolate peppermint bark.

The reindeer doughnut was the best looking one in my opinion, but this vanilla base doughnut with chocolate glaze, white chocolate peppermint bark, and crushed peppermint was hands down the best tasting one! I was actually expecting the base to be chocolate, but I soon found out that the subtle vanilla allowed for the glaze and peppermint to be the stand out features on this doughnut. I loved every single bite... the cooling sensation of the mint combined with the sweet chocolate was absolutely delicious. I also really enjoyed the handmade white chocolate peppermint bark for some extra sweetness. I would devour another one (or more...) in a heartbeat.

Snowman: vanilla base + vanilla buttercream.

Last but certainly not least was this snowman doughnut made up of a vanilla base with vanilla buttercream. Along with its pleasantly sweet smell, this doughnut was soft and moist despite its denseness. The buttercream was also stiffer compared to its chocolate counterpart on the reindeer, giving the glaze a slightly gritty, sugary texture. The thin layer of buttercream ensured that the glaze wouldn't make the doughnut overwhelmingly sweet as a whole. Chocolate chips dusted with powdered sugar and a candy corn nose were perfect touches for the snowman!

Loooooved these doughnuts.

My first box of Double Take Doughnuts was amazing! My personal favourites were definitely the reindeer and the chocolate + peppermint. So how do you order doughnuts for yourself? It's simple - just head on over to their Facebook page to view their order form and then send an email to doubletakedoughnuts@gmail.com with all the requested information. You'll be able to choose between 1.) chocolate or vanilla bases, 2.) buttercream, white chocolate, dark chocolate, or cheesecake for the icing options, and 3.) toppings which include mini eggs, cookies and cream, oreo and more! You can get really creative with the doughnut flavours. Check out this review by Ms. Hangry Foodie for doughnut flavour ideas, or give Double Take Doughnuts a follow on Instagram (@doubletakedoughnuts) to check out more photos! I'm looking forward to trying out more delicious doughnuts in the future! Feel free to take a look at my past reviews for Moonshine Doughnuts and Frickin' Delights Donuts as well. 

Moonshine Doughnuts

Moonshine Doughnuts (https://www.facebook.com/moonshinedoughnuts/) is an Edmonton doughnut company founded in 2012 by Matthew and Simon. The doughnuts made are vegan-friendly, meaning they do not contain any dairy or eggs. They also make gluten-free doughnuts as well! I've taken the trip Downtown to visit the City Market a few times for the sole purpose of trying these doughnuts, and I've always been super happy and satisfied by them. So at the start of September when I found out that they would be at the University of Alberta Farmer's Market on Thursdays, I knew I had to take a quick trip over to the Students' Union Building (SUB) to pick up a new box of doughnuts! 

Moonshine Doughnuts.

One thing I love about Moonshine Doughnuts is that these doughnuts always look absolutely gorgeous! The glaze is a pretty vibrant colour, and the toppings add another layer of beauty to the treat. Like an art masterpiece, but in an edible form. For a pack of 4 doughnuts, it costs $10. Gluten-free doughnuts are $12. 

Hibiscus Rose.

The first doughnut I tried was the Hibiscus Rose. This doughnut has a vanilla cake base with a bright pink and sweet glaze on top. I found this doughnut to be a bit dry, but it was nice to have when washed down with a cup of cold milk. There was a pleasant yet assertive sweetness in the initial bite which later mellowed out in my mouth as well. 

Blueberry Chocolate.

Next up was the Blueberry Chocolate. I loved how the beautiful purple colours stood out against the deep brown chocolate cake base of this doughnut. The glaze itself was not too sweet but paired well with the chocolate cake, but I do wish that I got more blueberry flavour! 

Matcha Coconut.

Anything with matcha is bound to be a hit, and this Matcha Coconut doughnut definitely was! This doughnut has a vanilla cake base with a mellow green matcha glaze topped with shredded coconut. I don't usually go for treats with shredded coconut on them, but I found this one to be particularly addicting. The matcha and coconut was a surprisingly pleasant combination, and while the matcha came through nicely in the glaze, it was not too sweet either. 

Campfire S'mores.

Last but not least: the Campfire S'mores doughnut. I had seen many photos of this doughnut appear on Instagram with people raving about how good it was. Of course, I had to try out this doughnut for myself. Made with a chocolate cake base, this doughnut is very eye catching with the cute toasted marshmallow and graham crumbs on top. A few bites of this doughnut, and I was immediately in heaven. IT WAS SO GOOD!!! The chocolate flavour of the glaze was delicious, and the cake base was dense and velvety. I loved how the graham crumbs added a nice texture with every bite, and the subtle heat of the doughnut was amazing. This doughnut is by far the best one I've tried from Moonshine Doughnuts. I had initially planned on giving CJ half of this doughnut, but I couldn't help myself. I had to eat the entire thing. It was that good. 

Be sure to give Moonshine Doughnuts a try! They can be found at the City Market in Downtown, the 124 Street Grand Market, or the U of A Farmer's Market on select Thursdays. To stay up to date with this awesome doughnut company, follow their Instagram (@moonshinedoughnuts) or Twitter (@moonshinedough) pages. 

Frickin' Delights Donuts

Two Fridays ago, I attended the debut of one of my closest friends. A debut is a grand coming-of-age birthday celebration in the Philippines for girls turning 18 years old. While debuts are very exciting (I had an unforgettable night!), they can also last for many hours. With that being said, I was looking to do something relaxing and low key the next day. I decided I wanted to take a trip to the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market (OSFM) - I knew Frickin' Delights Donuts (www.frickindelights.com) would be at the market that Saturday, so I definitely did not want to miss my chance to satisfy my craving for their donuts. 

The Old Strathcona Farmers' Market (osfm.ca) is located in the heart of the Old Strathcona district in Edmonton. It is just north of Whyte Ave (82 Ave), one of the city's most popular places to visit. I've only ever gone to OSFM once before, so this trip would be my second time going there. It is definitely an awesome place to check out. I still consider myself to be a "newbie" market-goer though, so I am yet to learn about making the most of my future trips there. I find farmers' market "culture" to be quite fascinating - the vendors, their products, the food, and the hustle and bustle inside the entire building is great. Every shopper seems to have an appreciation for the Alberta-produced products and the need to support the city's local vendors. The Market runs every Saturday from 8 am to 3 pm and also offers free parking. I really wish I had the opportunity to visit OSFM more often! 

I picked up CJ around 11:30 am, so we didn't get there until a little after noon. My advice: arrive early! You'll be able to take advantage of the free parking that is conveniently across the street from the Market, and you'll also have a greater selection of products to buy. 

Taken during my first visit to the Market.

I immediately made a beeline to Row 6, where the table for Frickin' Delights Donuts was located. I was blown away by the fact that there was only about 5 or 6 packs of the assorted donuts left! If we had arrived any later, I probably would have missed out on the donuts altogether! I decided to buy not one, but TWO full packs of the assorted donuts. One pack would be for CJ and I, and the other for my family. Each full pack cost $10, so I paid a grand total of $20. For 7 unique and delicious donuts, $10 is a very reasonable price. There are also the 3 pack chocolate and vanilla varieties, which cost $5 per pack. 

A full pack of donuts, 7 for $10.

Before I describe the flavours of the donuts I had, I want to talk about Frickin' Delights Donuts some more. Frickin' Delights Donuts is a vegan donut company owned by a lovely lady named Mandy. Despite the fact that I've gone to the Market twice now to buy her donuts, I am too shy to introduce myself to her! I would really love to have a conversation with her. I can tell that she puts her heart into every donut she makes, and that she is truly passionate about her work. I follow her Instagram page, and I love seeing her posts about her amazing donuts. 

Now let's talk about donuts. Frickin' Delights Donuts are vegan donuts, which means they do not contain any animal products. Some of the donuts contain nuts, so that's something to watch out for if you have allergies. Three of the donuts in the full pack have a chocolate cake base, while another three have a vanilla cake base. The seventh donut in the pack is the Gourmet Donut, which is different each time they are at the Market. Frickin' Delights are at OSFM every second week. 

All 7 donuts from the assorted full pack.

The Gourmet Donut for that week was the Vanilla Lemon Raspberry. It was a lemon cake donut containing organic raspberry jam, topped with a vanilla bean glaze. It was nice and light, and I could definitely taste the raspberry jam inside the donut. The chocolate varieties were Raspberry, Peanut Butter Fudge, and Mayan Chocolate. I love that Frickin' Delights uses real fruit - it made the Chocolate Raspberry (named Raspberry Dreams on the website) taste so much better. I've always loved the combination of chocolate and raspberries, so the Chocolate Raspberry is one of my favourites. The Mayan Chocolate donut was quite interesting for me. While it had a beautiful, rich chocolate taste, there was just a perfect amount of heat and spice from the addition of red chillies and cinnamon. The last chocolate donut was mine and CJ's favourite in the bunch - the Peanut Butter Fudge. I enjoyed the combination of the peanut butter glaze and the chocolate cake base, as well as the extra crunch from the bits of peanut on top. After eating every last crumb of this donut, I immediately wanted more. 

The vanilla varieties were just as tasty as the chocolate ones. The vanilla flavours included Blueberry, Earl Grey Latte, and Strawberry Rhubarb. I loved the balance between the blueberry glaze and the vanilla base in the Vanilla Blueberry donut (named the Big Blue on the website). The Earl Grey Latte was another personal favourite. I don't usually drink earl grey tea, but the earl grey taste on the donut is awesome. Finally, the Strawberry Rhubarb donut had a nice, sweet tasting glaze on it. However, since I've never really tasted rhubarb before, I couldn't really distinguish it from the strawberries in the glaze. The donut is very refreshing nonetheless. 

Yes, I arranged the donuts on a tiny coffee table for a photo.

I love Frickin' Delights Donuts. They have the perfect amount of sweetness, and each donut offers a unique experience with every bite. The cake base is beautifully moist as well. Be sure to refrigerate these donuts if you don't consume them all within the day! I love the fact that the flavours change every time - I am always looking forward to something new and exciting. Mmmm... just the thought of writing about these donuts is making me crave for them. I'm hoping to stop by the Market again for these donuts before the end of my summer. I strongly recommend everyone to try out Frickin' Delights... even if you don't have much of a sweet tooth, I promise you will love them as much as I do. Thank you Mandy for creating such frickin' delightful donuts!