Apple Bake Challenge Cupcakes

Yup, like the title suggests I entered an Apple baking challenge!  It's really a cooking with apples challenge, but you get the point.  For my entry I decided to go with an apple spiced cupcake.  You know I can't resist a reason to make cupcakes!

I have made this recipe a few times now but more recently I made them this weekend as a trial run and then I made my big batch of the cakes last night.  These snaps are a mix from those two baking sessions.

I started by peeling and dicing a bazillion apples.  Not really a bazillion... it's actually only 1 cup of diced apples for 12 regular sized cupcakes.  Pretty reasonable in my book. 

I know it only called for 1 cup, but I thought a heaping cup made more sense!

In the mixer I creamed 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter at room temperature.  I really like how this cupcake 'feels' more healthy overall -- you will see what I mean in a minute!

Then I created a mix of the dry ingredients: 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and baking soda,  1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (I may have added a bit more), and 1/8 a teaspoon of nutmeg and cloves.

I added 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture, then 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mixed it up.

Then you add my favorite part... 3/4 cup of homemade strawberry applesauce (healthy!) that I showed you here as Straw-pple Sauce.  The recipe called for regular applesauce, but I liked the twist! 

Add the remaining dry ingredients.  And lastly fold in the chopped apples.

This is the batch from Saturday.  So pretty as the rough chunks of apples stick out of the cupcake liners!

As, yes the batter tastes as good as it looks.  The cinnamon and apple flavors really stick out!  Can you see all those cinnamon flecks!!

This is a snap of the triple batch I made last night.  I seriously think this is the most I have ever had in my mixer bowl at one time.  It's a light batter thought.  As soon as the mix is together the chemical process takes over quickly and adds a lot of air to the dough!

One change I made last night was to tuck a small piece of caramel in the center of each uncooked cupcake as a sweet surprise once you bite into it!

I was making both regular and mini cuppies last night.  I think the mini's will be a real crowd pleaser as the crowd gets to sample and pick their favorite dish!

Batch after batch I popped cupcakes in the oven.

And yes, I am going to leave this hang right here.  I am whipping up spiced caramel butter cream frosting tonight and decorating all bazillion cupcakes.  I will be sure to take a ton of photos and see if I can't get a few on here pronto. 

Till then, I leave you with the smell of baking apples and cinnamon in your nose and the thought of biting in to fluffy moist cupcakes!  I'm a stinker... ain't I?

C is for Cookie!

Making up a batch of cookies is such a comforting thing to do. 

Sure to put smiles on the faces around you!

Start off with plenty of butter; softened to room temperature.  (You can sometimes catch me with a stick in my armpit working on softening -- if that changes your mind about eating the cookies out of my kitchen)

I wanted to put a fun twist on a good 'old chocolate chip cookie.  When I saw these babies on the shelf I knew immediately they had to be Toffee Chocolate Chippers!

You add brown sugar and regular sugar.

Give it a good mix until the butter and sugar are creamed.  You can tell it's creamed when the color gets lighter (or at least I think I remember my grandma telling me that).

A little baking soda and salt comes next.

Add the toffee bits (I used one cup) and chocolate chips (2 cups)

And voila... like magic the cookies are formed, baked, cooled, tasted, and lined up like little soldiers!

Emphasis on the tasting!  Opps, I broke one!

In hind sight my experiment was fun, however I'm not sure toffee twist is the way to go.  It made a big mess when I was trying to get the cookies off the baking pan.  And (as Mr. Happy pointed out) the toffee gets stuck in your teeth and takes a little fun out of the whole thing. 

I think the next version of these might be better balanced with walnuts.

What kind of twist do you put on your chocolate chippers?

A little something sweet

Mr. Happy has been trying to get me to go to a local orchard/farm stand for a few weeks now.  And, we finally made it to the place this past Friday! 

When I walked in the store, off a little windy road, I was instantly dazzled by the smells in there! 

There were homemade pies cooling (apple and berry and key lime), cider donuts, cupcakes, jams, honey, and so many other good smelling baked goods I know I am forgetting!  

And look what we found!!!  Real maple syrup!  (I sound like a little kid, don't I?)

With real maple syrup in the cabinet it was the perfect excuse on Saturday to make waffles and sit down for a decadent breakfast with my husby!

You can see the crispiness of the waffle and the golden color of the syrup.  Seriously, this made my week! 

Look how cute the design on the bottle is!  The cute house tucked up on the hill, the trees, the horses pulling the wagon... I wouldn't mind visiting that place! 

I coudn't resist one more picture of my waffle.  I think one of the things that makes them so much fun is the way the syrup stays in the little squares. 


Do you have a favorite breakfast or treat that takes you instantly to a happier place?