1. Preheat your oven to 180°C and spray a doughnut pan well with non-stick cooking spray, getting into all the curves so nothing sticks later.
2. In a large jug, whisk together the 100 g melted butter, 45 ml vegetable oil, 125 g castor/caster sugar, 2 eggs at room temperature, 100 ml buttermilk, 60 ml milk, and 1 tsp vanilla essence until smooth and glossy.
3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the 210 g cake flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. If you skip sifting, just whisk really well so there are no sneaky lumps.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
5. Don’t overmix; stop as soon as everything comes together. The batter should be thick but still spoonable.
6. Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full.
7. These do rise quite a bit, so resist the urge to overfill. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to level the batter.
8. Bake for about 14 to 16 minutes, until the doughnuts are puffed, lightly golden, and spring back when pressed. A toothpick should come out clean.
9. Let the doughnuts rest in the pan for about 2 minutes, then gently turn them out onto a rack.
10. They coat best while still warm, not hot.

Cinnamon Sugar Finish

1. Mix the 2 tbsp castor sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
2. Brush or dip each warm doughnut lightly into the 2 tbsp melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar until evenly coated.

Chocolate Glaze Finish

1. Place the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate, 2 tbsp butter, and 2 tbsp corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Heat on 50 percent power, stirring often, until smooth and fully melted.
3. If the glaze feels too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tsp hot water, a little at a time.
4. Dip the tops of the doughnuts into the glaze and let them set on a wire rack.
5. These are best the day they’re made, but they’ll still be lovely the next day if stored in an airtight container.