Need a little extra courage...and calories...

I'm thinking about making these tonight, Homemade Pumpkin Doughnuts from Epicurious.com . Charlie Brown is on ABC this evening which causes me to want to bake! I'm nervous because I have never deep fried anything. In fact my brother just had a kitchen remodel, thanks to my parents, due to a frying catastrophe this week. Should I chance it? Why can't I just stick with boxed cake mix???