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Recipe: Mufcake = muffin plus cupcake

Friday, November 7th, 2008

The dividing line between muffin and cupcake has always been a bit hazy.

I think people prefer to say “muffin” when they’re eating it before noon and when they’re trying to be healthy.

Once, at Perkins Restaurant in Minnesota, the “muffin of the day” was double chocolate chip with cappuccino frosting. The worst part? I ordered it.

To be fair, my mufcakes are nutritious: whole wheat, 5 bananas and cocoa powder (full of antioxidants).

Chocolate Banana Whole Wheat Mufcakes

Adapted from Pinch My Salt, a San Diego-based food blog

1/2 C. (1 stick) butter
1 C. sugar (per usual, I used raw/unrefined)
2 eggs
1.5 C. mashed ripe banana (~5 bananas)
1 t. vanilla
1/4 C. half and half
2 C. whole wheat pastry flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 C cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, eggs, bananas and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
5. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.
6. Pour this mixture into muffin tins that have been greased or lined with paper cups. (I made 6 large mufcakes and 12 mini mufcakes.)
7. Bake for 45-60 minutes, depending on size of muffins- use a toothpick to test. Cool at least 10 minutes.

To emphasize muffin-ness, spread with peanut butter and banana slices.

To emphasize cupcake-ness, top with chunky coconut frosting.

Recipe: Apple Buttermilk Bread or Muffins

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

With a bushel of apples from our pick-your-own adventure, I’ve been creating a few apple recipes.

I’m currently serving on a jury and I brought in this bread one morning last week to share with my fellow jurors.

It is not very sweet, the buttermilk is palatable, and there is a subtle, surprising fusion of sugar and salt. At least that was my interpretation.

The other jurors simply said, “Mmmm.”

Apple Buttermilk Bread or Muffins

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks, a great recipe/wholesome food blog

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup demerara sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled a bit
1 T lemon juice
1 medium apple, cored and diced
3 tablespoons large grain raw sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400F degrees, racks in the middle. Grease and flour muffin tins if you’re making muffins or a loaf pan if you’re making bread. (Parchment paper also works for the loaf pan.)

Combine the flour, baking powder, and sugar and salt in a large bowl. In a separate smaller bowl whisk together the eggs and the buttermilk, whisk in the melted butter, and add the lemon juice. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the flour mixture and stir until just combined – try not to over mix. Batter will be lumpy.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, pushing out toward the edges. Now place the apple pieces across top. It’s okay if they overlap a little, but try to cover the entire surfaces of the bread/muffins. Sprinkle with the large grain sugar and then the salt. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until cake is set (or a toothpick in the center comes out clean), and a touch golden on top. Muffins may take a bit less depending on their size. My yield was one shallow loaf pan (perfect for snack-sized slices for 12 angry men 9 happy jurors) and 6 medium-to-large muffins.

Recipe: Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Sunday, October 19th, 2008

I love these cookies. So simple and only 3 ingredients. There are hundreds of nearly-identical recipes for this on the Internet.
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar (a combination of white/brown sugars is ok)
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix egg, sugar and peanut butter together. Roll into balls, whatever size you want.

Place on an ungreased, parchment-lined cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork, making a crisscross pattern.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350°F. Cookies are done with they are light brown and a little shiny in the middle.

Recipe: Chocolate Oat Balls

Sunday, September 28th, 2008

There are two types of people: those who prefer baking and those who prefer cooking.

Despite my sweet tooth I am very much in the cooking camp. I am not very precise with measurements and I am liberal with substitutions. Therefore when I make dessert I usually make pudding, macaroons, fruit tarts and other things that can handle my lack of attention to detail.

These chocolate oat balls fit the bill. They’re no-bake, easy, and pretty.

Chocolate Oat Balls

Adapted from Anne’s Food, a wonderful blog

250 ml rolled oats
50 ml sugar
50 ml cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup hot, strong coffee
50 g unsalted butter, very soft

Put all ingredients together. Roll into balls. Anne suggested rolling them in coconut or pearl sugar, but I tried coconut and couldn’t get it to stick. Perhaps because it was unsweetened and therefore not sticky?

Eat soon. Store in refrigerator, but, better yet, don’t store at all. The next day they will begin to dry out considerably.

Recipe: Raspberry Applesauce Gumdrops

Saturday, September 27th, 2008

Applesauce Gumdrops

Adapted from Wildheart

2 cups raspberry applesauce (I used Santa Cruz Organic)

1/2 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves

1/2 cup cold water

2 cups sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw)

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

  1. If using unrefined sugar, crush it with mortar & pestle
  2. Mix the sugar, applesauce, and spices.
  3. In a small pan, mix the water and gelatin.
  4. Heat over low until gelatin dissolves (or, heat in microwave for 20 seconds and then stir).
  5. Stir the gelatin mix into the applesauce mix.
  6. Line a 9×13 pan with wax paper.
  7. Spread in the applesauce/gelatin mix.
  8. Refrigerate until firm.
  9. Right before serving, cut into 1/2″ cubes (18 across x 26 down).
  10. Roll each cube in sugar, it prevents weeping. (Don’t do this too long before serving or sugar will melt and leave you with a liquid mess.)