What makes a doughnut a doughnut?

Other than frying you mean? The answer is of course nutmeg. Without it a cake doughnut just tastes like a fried ring of cake. Not bad, but not quite “right” either. Those of you with older cookbooks might find that the “old time” doughnut recipes in it call for mace. But then what is mace but the dried, powdered outer membrane that covers the seed of the Myristica fragrans tree? And what is the seed of the Myristica fragrans tree but of course…nutmeg. The two spices come from the same plant and are very, very similar in taste. Some claim that mace is a more delicate and refined flavor, and I think that’s probably true. I still prefer nutmeg for a doughnut.