When you want to emphasize the dessert half of a mufcake, chunky coconut frosting’s where it’s at.

This recipe just makes enough for about six large mufcakes, which is convenient if you don’t want to have a lot leftover to eat straight from the bowl. But if that’s appealing, or if you’re feeding a crowd, by all means- double/quadruple the recipe!

Chunky Coconut Frosting

Recipe by Hilary

Mix all ingredients together. Taste. If you want it sweeter, add more powdered sugar. If you want it chunkier and/or more coconut-ey, add more shaved coconut. If you want more to eat straight out of the bowl, repeat recipe from beginning.

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. 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.

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

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.