Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg white, beaten
• 2/3 cup diced strawberries
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, gently toss the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and applesauce together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the beaten egg white until fully incorporated. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula or large wooden spoon until just combined - do not overmix. Fold in the strawberries and chocolate chips.

Divide the batter evenly between 10 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Muffins will be lightly golden in color and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. Mine took about 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and place pan on a wire rack. Allow muffins to cool and enjoy!

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Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 bag (9.5 oz)  Dark Chocolate, chopped, 

1 1/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon corn syrup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray miniature muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray or use mini muffin liners. In a microwave safe dish, heat 1/2 package of chocolates about 18 pieces on 50% power for 1 minute; stir. Continue microwaving and stirring in 30-second intervals on 50% power until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well blended. Mix in cooled chocolate. Add sour cream and mix to combine. Add dry ingredients and mix just until blended. Mix in zucchini. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake 12 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool before glazing.

Chocolate Glaze

Put remaining half package of chocolates in a small glass bowl and set aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine heavy cream and corn syrup; microwave heavy cream just until it starts to boil, about 30 seconds. Pour over the chocolate; set aside for 3 minutes. Whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. If necessary, microwave an additional 10 seconds at 50% power. Dip the tops of the bites in the chocolate to glaze.

                                                               Enjoy it!

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Funfetti Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp milk 
• 1/4 cup rainbow jimmies sprinkles 
• Rainbow nonpareils, for sprinkling tops

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup butter, nearly at room temperature (I prefer to use 2/3 cup (10 1/2 Tbsp) unsalted and 1/3 cup salted)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instuctions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift all-purpose flour and cake flour into a mixing bowl. Add baking powder and salt and whisk dry mixture, 20 seconds, set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (I recommend using a beater blade, which constantly scrapes the bowl, if you don't have one, occasionally stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl throughout entire mixing process), whip together butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, then mix in egg whites one at a time, blending until combined after each addition. Mix in vanilla and almond extract. Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, alternating with 1/2 of the milk and mixing just until combined after each addition. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in sprinkles.
• Divide mixture among 12 paper lined muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full (about 1/4 cup in each). Bake in preheated oven 17 - 19 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool in muffin tin several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely then pipe or spread vanilla buttercream frosting over cupcakes and sprinkle with rainbow nonpareils. Store in an airtight container.

For the frosting:

• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, using the paddle whip butter on medium high speed until nearly white and very fluffy, about 7 - 8 minutes (if using a beater blade, the paddle the constantly scrapes the sides while mixing, you can reduce the times listed slightly), frequently scrapping down the sides of the bowl . Add in powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until blended, then increase speed to medium and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 - 6 minutes, frequently scraping down the sides of the bowl.

 

Enjoy!

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Blueberry Muffins

Servings: 10-12 muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2-1/4 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar

For Cooking

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 12 paper muffin liners

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Spray the pan and the liners with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and almond extract. (The batter may look a little grainy -- that's okay).
4. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, beating on low speed to combine. Add the berries to the batter and fold gently with a spatula until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
5. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin (an ice-cream scoop with a wire scraper works well here); they will be very full. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly on top of the muffins.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each muffin to free it from the pan if necessary (the blueberries can stick), then transfer the muffins to a rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

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