Instructions

To make the donuts:

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 325  degrees F.  Spray a donut baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together until all of the ingredients are well combined.  Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure that you’re not leaving any flour behind.  Use a small spoon to portion batter into the prepared doughnut baking pan.  Each doughnut mold should be about two-thirds full.  Bake doughnuts for 11 to 13 minutes or until a skewer inserted into one of the donuts comes out clean.  Remove from the oven.  Allow to rest for five minutes before inverting donuts onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Allow doughnuts to cool completely before glazing.
5. Repeat the baking process until all of the batter is turned into donuts.

To make the glaze:

1. In a medium bowl whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.  Add 2 tablespoons of milk and all of the vanilla extract.  Whisk to combine.  Mixture may be thick.  Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is thick but still pourable.
2. Dip each doughnut (I dipped the bottom side) into the chocolate glaze. Shake off some of the excess glaze. Return to the wire rack and sprinkle with color jimmies. Allow to rest a few moments for the frosting to harden slightly.  
3. These donuts are best served within two days of baking.