If you like doughnuts, you should try these:
South African Koeksisters
They will take longer than you think to make, since you have to cut and plait the dough before frying, but you can make both the syrup and dough in advance. The finished koeksisters will last in the fridge for a few days and are served cold or at room temperature, so you can easily make them a day or two early.
The big secret is to make sure the HOT fried dough goes straight into very COLD syrup - it's best to have 2 bowls of syrup that cycle through the freezer while you work. I would usually make 1.5 or 2x the syrup recipe, so I have extra for easy soaking by the end. Store them floating in any leftover syrup.
It's also helpful, but not essential to have 2 people on the job when cutting/ plaiting and when frying/soaking in syrup.
They are generally eaten with your fingers, but you'll need wipes nearby as they are very sticky. You could serve them on plates with a fork instead.