Place freeze-dried strawberries and powdered sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture turns into a fine powder. Pour strawberry powdered sugar into a large (gallon-size) zip-top bag. Set aside.
For Doughnuts:
Preheat oven to 425F. Grease doughnut pan(s) and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, oil, and sugars. Whisk to combine.
Add eggs and whisk to combine. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla bean paste (see note). Whisk to combine.
Add ⅓ of the flour mixture, and whisk until just incorporated. Add half the milk, and whisk until smooth. Continue this process (second ⅓ of the flour mixture, last ½ milk, last ⅓ of the flour mixture) until all ingredients are combined and smooth. Batter will be thick.
Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared doughnut pan(s) nearly to the top (about ¼" below the rim). I use a large Ziploc bag with the corner cut to save time and avoid a mess.
Bake 8-10 minutes, or until slightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for five minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
Place the warm doughnuts, 1-2 at a time, into the bag of strawberry powdered sugar and shake to coat. Serve immediately. If you'd to store the doughnuts and serve later, the sugar will melt, but you can re-coat the doughnuts just before serving.Enjoy!
Notes
Note on vanilla bean paste: I love the flavor of vanilla bean paste and the lovely black flecks it leaves in the doughnuts! If you don't have vanilla bean paste, you can use one vanilla bean, or you can substitute vanilla extract. If you'd like to purchase vanilla bean paste, you can find it [here].Note on freeze-dried strawberries: Make sure to use *freeze-dried* strawberries, as they are free of moisture and will help you avoid the mixture clumping and/or dissolving. If you can't find them at your local grocery store, you can find them [here].Note on doughnut pan: I have two different doughnut pans, and the one that I used for this recipe FAR surpasses the other. The wells are a nice size so you don't end up with skimpy doughnuts, and the centers are tall enough that you don't end up with the holes closing up on you as you bake. If you're looking to buy a doughnut pan, this is the one: link [here]!