#22) Buried Bakeapple Bites

I have had two bags of bakeapples left in the freezer since the summer and have wanted to use them, but every time I got into the kitchen (which hasn't been much as of late) a new recipe would intrigue me and it was "so long bakeapples." Last night I started toying with the idea of a bakeapple cupcake... I don't know how many of you use bakeapples, but anyone who does will know there aren't many recipes written for them, and most of the ones that are just turn them into a sauce or a topping for cheesecake. I wanted to do something new so I made a small recipe of bakeapple cake filling and let it chill overnight. Then it was time to bury it... :) I used the left-over cream cheese frosting from a previous recipe found here. The spice of the nutmeg with the tang of the berry filling is such a unique combination you will eave your taste buds begging for more :)

PS - Classes are almost over and exams soon begin, but after that it's home to Mom & Dad's and back into the kitchen... There will be more frequent posts as Christmas draws nearer!!!

Bakeapple Cake Filling

1 cup bakeapples
1/4 cup water
5 tbsp sugar
3 tsp corn starch

-Boil berries with 3/4 of the water. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
-Push the cooked berries through a fine sieve, discarding the seeds.
-Whisk corn starch into remaining water. Add cornstarch mixture and sugar to berries.
-Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Let cool completely.

Cupcakes

3 eggs (room temperature)
1 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup milk (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp bakeapple preserve (optional)

*I wanted this recipe to have a rustic type flavour, so I kept the mixer in the cupboard and just used some old fashioned elbow grease to mix everything together :)

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Line pan with paper liners.
-Lightly beat eggs.
-Add butter and sugar and mix.
-Add milk, flour, baking powder, and preserve (if using). Mix.
-Add a couple of tablespoons of batter to each liner.
-Divide cake fill into liners.
-Cover with remaining batter.
-Bake for 18-20 minutes.
-Let cool and frost with icing, if desired.

#21) Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

I know, my muffins look a little sad. But believe me, they are super tasty. For a while now I have had a couple of bananas screaming to be turned into something, so I thought a muffin would be great. Then, when I was making some toast and peanut butter for my breakfast I thoguht, "This would be great thrown into my muffins!" So that's what I done HaHa. However, in my over-zealousness (is that a word?) I chucked in two bananas instead of one.... Now I have some very dense, very moist cupcakse, hence the sunken look they have going on. But this is one sweet treat I would definately make again, minus the extra banana :).

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tbsp peanut butter

1 mashed banana

1/4 cup chocolate chips (just because I like 'em!)

Steps:

- Preheat oven to 320°F. Line 12 muffin cups with papers.

- Beat eggs. Add butter and sugar and mix until light and fluffy.

- Add milk, flour, baking powder, and peanut butter. Beat with mixer for about 2 minutes.

- Add banana and chocolate chips and stir through evenly.

- Fill paper liners and bake for 20 minutes.

#20) Autumn-Spiced Cupcakes with Ginger-Infused Cream Cheese Frosting

I have been daydreaming about this recipe for a while now. About 3 weeks ago the bf and I went to Bulk Barn and I loaded up on cloves, allspice, nutmeg... all the spices that remind me of Fall. But, other than my chai tea experiment, I haven't done anything with them. That all changed today :)

The bf recently had a bday, but because I am away for school, we weren't together for it. He flies into town tomorrow so I wanted to have a belated birthday cake-type surprise for him. Well, not so much a surprise becasue I can't keep a secret to save my life, but he will appreciate these little sweet treats no less.

All I done was take a basic vanilla cupcake recipe and added some cloves and allspice. For the frosting I searched high and low for a pipable cream cheese frositng, and thought I had found one here, but the end product was less than pipable and I was quite dissappointed. Nonetheless, here is my bealted birthday cupcake collection for my baby!

Cupcakes

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp allspice

Steps:

- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tray with 12 cupcake papers.

- In a medium bowl lightly beat eggs. Add butter, oil, and sugar and beat until combined.

- Add milk, flour, baking powder, cloves, and allspice. Stir to combine. Beat with mixer for about 2 minutes.

- Divide batter between cupcake papers. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese

5 tbsp butter

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger

2 1/2 cups icing sugar

pumpkin spice (for sprinkling)

Steps:

- Bring cream cheese and butter to room temperature.

- In a medium bowl beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and ginger until blended.

- Add sugar one third at a time and beat until smooth.

*Do not overbeat!