Captain Morgan Apple Cider Cupcakes

I have a confession.... I hate fall! I know, I know, it seems like everyone and their brother acts like these are the best months of the year, but for me it just isn't true. There are a few things I do enjoy like college football, bonfires, cider mills, and dressing up for Halloween but that is about it. Most of fall I battle with the extreme sadness that the glorious summer is now over and the dread that winter is just a few dead leaves away from hitting. How do I get through these feelings..... booze of course (and hibernation but that is only after the snow hits HA)!

Living in the mitten state we are bombarded with an absurd amount of apples so a staple of almost any tailgate or gathering is cider and booze! Thanks to my besties being obsessed with Captain Morgan it is always around and usually our go to during these chilly few months. This last weekend was my first tailgate of the season at the University of Minnesota homecoming game. I knew I wanted to bring a tasty treat and figured there was no better thing to bring then boozy cupcakes!

After searching for a few recipes online I really couldn't find any that perfectly matched what I wanted so I took this recipe from Neighbor Food (which I loved because she used a box mix) and doctored it up do add in my favorite Captain Morgan flavor.  To say they went quick is an understatement, once I explained what they were they were gone and everyone loved them.  Hopefully these will be a hit at your fall gathering!

Captain Morgan Apple Cider Cupcakes

 

 

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 box vanilla cake mix

2 tsp cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

Dash ginger

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 eggs

1/2 cup apple cider

1/2 cup Captain Morgan rum

 

For the frosting:

1 package cream cheese softened

1/4 butter softened

2 tsp apple cider

2 tsp Captain Morgan run

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

 

Directions

For the cake:

1) Mix together dry ingredients including boxed cake mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger

2) Stir in remaining ingredients until smooth

3) Divide amongst 24 lined cupcake tins and bake at 350 degrees according to the package directions

 

For the frosting:

1) Mix together all ingredients with electric mixer adding in powdered sugar only a cup at a time

2) Using a pastry bag, knife, or fancy ziplock bag with cut off corner technique (which I totally did) frost cooled cupcakes

3) Enjoy!

 

Extras

-I used apple cider concentrate from Williams-Sonoma to give the cupcakes more of an apple taste, if you don't have it no worries you just might not have as strong of a flavor

-To make these kid friendly just replace the rum with apple cider



Peanut Butter Protein Bites

It is no secret that I have a sweet tooth so I set out in search of a sweet treat that I didn't have to feel too guilty about.  I had seen this recipe before and decided that it was the perfect time to try them out.  The description said they tasted just like a no bake cookie which were my favorites growing up so I figured I would give it a shot.  Well they are AMAZING!  They really do taste like a cookie and they are super easy to put together.  Because of the ingredients they are a little over 100 calories a piece so they aren't completely guilt free and do require some willpower.  I always end up snacking on a few hundred calories of sweets anyway so I decided that I would much rather be taking in those calories with real ingredients rather than my coworkers boxed brownies!  They are also perfect after a workout before dinner which is a horrible snacking time for me since I am always starving while I cook.  I adapted the recipe from this website to fit our own tastes and I feel like anyone could throw in whatever extras they happen to have on hand. 

Peanut Butter Protein Bites

 



Ingredients
1 cup dry oatmeal
2/3 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup dried cranberries chopped
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
1) Mix all ingredients in medium bowl
2) Roll into individual balls (I was able to make about 20) and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to harden
4) Store in sealed baggies or container
5) Enjoy!

Yogurt Cupcakes with Cool Whip Frosting

Who doesn't love a tasty cupcake?!? If I am going to bake and eat something then I want it to taste like it should be bad for me.  Pinterest has been flooded with tons of recipes that just mix something like cake mix with diet pop which to me doesn’t really taste like a real cake at all!  My friend Kelli made me these cupcakes a few years ago for my birthday and they are the best low-guilt cupcake's I have found yet.  The other best part is that you can make these any flavor you would like.  I have always made them with some type of berry yogurt but you can experiment with your favorite flavors to mix it up.

The only big note about these is that the "frosting" contains yogurt so they need to be kept in a cool area until they are served so that the yogurt doesn't spoil.  For picnics or outdoor events I always just put my cupcake carrier in a cooler, but in the office I can usually just put them in a cool room and they are fine. 

Yogurt Cupcakes with Cool Whip Frosting

Ingredients

1 pkg. white cake mix (I use betty crocker super moist)

3/4 C water

1/3 C vegetable oil

3 egg whites

2 6oz containers of flavored yogurt (I use the Yoplait Light)

1/2 container Cool Whip thawed

Directions

1) Mix together cake mix, water, oil, egg whites, and 1 container yogurt until completely mixed

2) Pour into 24 lined cupcake tins and bake as directed on the cake mix box

3) To make frosting: Mix together remaining container of yogurt and Cool Whip

4) Once cupcakes are completely cooled frost with the Cool Whip mixture

5) Keep in cool place until ready to serve

6) Enjoy!

*These were made with strawberry yogurt which is my personal favorite but feel free to mix it up*

Cupcakes are the enemy

Today the enemy is the ever so tasty German Chocolate Cupcake!!

My whole life I have loved to bake, and loved to share the things I bake with those around me.  I am the go to girl in the office when it comes to any birthday or event, and happily take on the role.  This however means that I make, carry, distribute, and of course eat an absurd amount of cupcakes. 

Can we please take a note of my super awesome cupcake carrier for a moment.  Yup that thing is amazing and probably the best $20 I have ever spent.  I ate one last night (for tasting reasons duh) and today I have already had one.  Here is to hoping my willpower will kick in so that I stay away from the rest of the container. 

Didn't get to run yesterday thanks to a 10 hour work day and 4 hours in class so today I will be making up my 4 mile run.  Fingers crossed it goes well so I can work off the extra 200 calories worth of cupcake I just consumed!

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Today was cold and rainy and put me in the mood to bake.  Oatmeal has been a new staple in my diet for the last few weeks and I have been craving oatmeal cookies.  I have also learned that I am much more of a craisin fan then a raisin fan so I decided to adapt one of my favorite oatmeal cookie recipes into a cranberry oatmeal cookie.  These made the whole house smell like fall and taste like it too!

Adapted from SmittenKitchen

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup craisins

1) Cream together butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla

2) Mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in separate bowl then mix into butter mixture

3) Mix in oats and craisins

4) Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, place on cooling rack about 5 minutes after removing from oven

5) Enjoy!

Extras

- I usually make pretty big cookies so this recipe only gave me about 16 cookies if you want more I would either double or make smaller cookies

-The original recipe stated that refrigerating the dough before baking would make them chewier... I am not a patient person so I never do this step but you could try and let me know if it makes a difference LOL

Apple Brunch Bake

With so many close friends (including ourselves) running the race on Sunday the roomies and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to host a celebratory brunch!  We had all burned off at least 1300 calories and wanted some food!!  My grandpa used to make this bake for us on Christmas morning and it was perfect since I could make it the night before and just throw it in the oven when we got home.  Everyone loved it and it is the perfect pair with a savory casserole as well to round out a crowd pleasing and filling brunch.

Cinnamon Apple Brunch Bake

(Adapted from McCormick)

Ingredients

1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 can (12 ounces) refrigerated biscuits
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional I usually don't include the nuts)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix apple pie filling, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and vanilla in medium bowl.

3. Spread 1/2 of the apple mixture in 2-quart shallow baking dish.
4. Cut or rip each biscuit into quarters. Arrange biscuit pieces, points up, over apple mixture.

5. Spread remaining apple mixture over biscuits. Sprinkle with nuts.

(this is when you could cover and let sit in fridge until next morning)
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.



Beyond Easy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Last year I set out to find a tasty and easy pumpkin treat that I could make all fall long.  I found this recipe a few places on the internet and honestly only made them because it seemed too good to be true.  Basically I didn't believe anything this easy would actually taste good.  To my surprise these really are the easiest cookies to make and a total crowd pleaser.  These have much more of a soft muffiny (if that's a word) consistency rather than a hard cookie which makes them enjoyable and dangerous any time of day.  Last night I made my first batch of the season, and with that Fall is officially here!

Beyond Easy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

• 1 box Spice Cake Mix
• 1 15oz. can Pumpkin Puree
• 1/2 can Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional) 

1) In large bowl mix the spice cake mix with the pumpkin puree
 (Just the dry cake mix, do not add any oil, eggs, water, or anything else listed on the box)
2) Drop Tablespoons full of batter onto well greased cookie sheet
3) Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes (cookies will begin to look dry and get brown on edges)
4) Allow to cool
5) Heat frosting 30 seconds in the microwave until runny
6) Drizzle over COOLED cookies and Enjoy! 



PB Fluff Brownies

So I haven't been feeling well the last week and yesterday I really hit a wall, so i decided to take it easy and take a sick day.  Sleeping until 12 was amazing but then I had a whole day of nothing to do and no energy.  So what to do... BAKE!  I found a recipe online awhile back that mixed a few of my favorite things and decided to give it a try. 

Peanut Butter Fluff Brownies

(Yes this is a stock photo because I wasn't smart enough to take one before they were all eaten lol)

• 1 box brownie mix (13*9 pan size)
• Ingredients on box mix
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup marshallow fluff

1) Mix the brownies according to the box directions and pour into greased 13x9 pan
2) Place PB and Fluff into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute
3) Stir the mixture until well mixed and place into brownie mix in 4 lines
4) Use a knife to swirl in the PB/Fluff mixture
5) Bake according to the box direction ( I had to add an additional 3 minutes)
6) Enjoy

These were so good and my whole office really enjoyed them!  Def will now be a staple in my baking arsenal, and who can beat how easy they are?