Vanilla Bean Doughnuts - Dinner With Julie

Ingredients

• Sponge:
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Dough:
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or good vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Vanilla Bean Icing:
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• canola oil (or another mild vegetable oil) for cooking