Paleo Banana & Chocolate Chip Muffins (but I call them cupcakes)

I really enjoy treats, but I enjoy them more, when they are made from WHOLE ingredients. I've slowly made the move to consuming more Paleo desserts, and this banana muffin/cupcake is so moist and is a perfect replica of the regular "white flour" version....that I had to include it on my own blog.

I took this recipe straight from http://paleomg.com/banana-nut-chocolate-chip-muffins/

so, I give all the credit to Juli Bauer for her amazing Paleo blog. Go check it out!

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas, mashed with a fork

• 3 eggs, whisked

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup smooth almond butter

• ¼ cup coconut flour

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• pinch of salt

• ½ cup chopped walnuts (I actually Omit these when I cook mine)

• ½ cup 72% Eating Evolved Baking Chocolate, chopped into pieces (or other chocolate chips you like)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add eggs, maple syrup, almond butter, and vanilla extract and mix together.
3. Then add coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda and powder and a pinch of salt and mix well.
4. Lastly, fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
5. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop batter into 9 cups of a silicone muffin pan.
6. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool before removing from silicone pan.

Special thanks and credits given to: http://paleomg.com/banana-nut-chocolate-chip-muffins/

Paleo Raspberry Almond Muffins garnished with Cacao chocolate

When Josh and I were in Utah, my mother in law made these AWESOME muffins! 

They are paleo-style muffins and are dairy and grain free. 

I've made them ever since Christmas and my boys LOVE these 'cupcakes'

This recipe makes 12 muffins (cupcake size)

Ingredients:

1 C. Almond Flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp pure almond extract

3 eggs, whisked

1 cup fresh ground almond butter (you can use organic too)

1/3 C. raw honey

1/3 C. slivered almonds (I actually don't use them in mine, but it adds a great crunch)

1/3 C. Coconut Oil, melted

1 C. fresh raspberries, rinsed and dried
Dark chocolate chips, for garnishing

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl, set aside.

Mix eggs, almond butter, honey, almonds, almond extract, and coconut oil together in another medium bowl. Combine with dry ingredients and mix together.

FOLD in fresh raspberries.

Scoop batter evenly into 10-12 muffin cups (lightly greased with coconut oil or lined with a paper muffin liners)

I garnish my muffins with a few dark chocolate chips and just place them on TOP of the batter and slightly press into the batter.

Bake for about 15-20 min. REALLY watch your muffins to be sure they DO NOT overcook.

Enjoy!
I love these because they don't leave me feeling heavy and taste delicious!
My boys love them because they are soft  like cake and have a very nutty taste!

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

If you are in the mood for an EASY yet DELICIOUS Mint Chocolate Cupcake, here's a great recipe for you.  Plus, it's surprising a light chocolatey minty flavor, which satisfies that chocolate craving.

1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Package Keebler Grasshopper Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.  Mix the chocolate cake mix as directed on the box and set aside.  Place a Grasshopper Cookie in the bottom of each cupcake tin.  Then pour the chocolate cake mix in each cupcake tin.

Bake in the oven as directed on the cake box.  Use a toothpick to poke into the middle of a cupcake.  If toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are fully cooked.  Take the cupcakes out of the oven and place them on a cooling rack.

Frost and ENJOY!!!!

 Frosting Recipe:
1 Carton Real Whipping Cream
1/4 cup Powder Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla extract
(*red food coloring was added in this pic)

Directions:
Add all ingrediants into a glass or metal bowl.
Beat whipping cream until it turns into a fluffy whipped texture.

Triple Salted Caramel Cupcakes

I have had this fetish with "salted caramel" desserts lately.

 I've wanted to learn how to make my own caramel or to just sample salted caramel recipes.

So, this is the one I found that looked OVERLY tempting. 

I found it on the website, Sally's Baking addiction.

I HAD TO TRY IT!

Seriously.
These were AMAZING. (...and I only had a bite)
(you'll have to forgive me, I do NOT have STEP by STEP pictures for this recipe)

CARAMEL CUPCAKES:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar.
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream (do not use fat free milk or even 1% milk)

THICK, SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING:
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1-3 cups powdered sugar (you'll beat in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in at a time to the consistency that you want)
additional pinch of salt

MELTED CARAMEL DRIZZLE:
one bag of caramels, unwrapped (about 50)
1/4 c. heavy cream

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners. Set Aside
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugars together at a medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until NO flour remains, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly stir in the milk. Do no over mix the batter.
3. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full, dividing the batter between all 12. Bake cupcakes for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool before frosting, about 1 hour.
4. While the cupcakes are cooling, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Once melted, add brown sugar and heavy cream. Stir constantly over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add salt. Allow to bubble for 3 minutes, no more. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 min. Do NOT place in refrigerator to cool.
5. Put cooled caramel sauce in a medium sized bowl. Using a HAND MIXER a medium speed, beat in powdered sugar (1/2 C. at a time) until you reach the desired consistency. Add a pinch of salt is the frosting tastes too sweet. **If the frosting becomes too thick, add a 1/2 tbsp. of heavy cream.
6. Frost cooled cupcakes. Set aside.
7. In a medium pan over low heat, melt the caramel candies along with heavy cream and stir constantly.
Once melted, drizzle the caramel sauce over the frosting, and adorn with a pinch of coarse sea salt.

 (Cupcakes can stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 5 days)

Recipe courtesy of: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/01/10/triple-salted-caramel-cupcakes/

Oreo Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

Oops, I did it again. 

Blog surfing created THIS in my kitchen...

If it looks incredible, then I'm gonna make it!

Ingredients:

1 pkg Oreos, divided (12 coarsely crushed and 27-30 WHOLE)

2 lbs. cream cheese at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

4 large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream (NOT fat free)

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Place one cookie in the bottom of each liner.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed, until smooth.

*****Be sure to SCRAPE all the sides of the bowl after you add each ingredient.

Gradually add sugar until combined. Beat in vanilla. 

Add eggs, one at a time, making sure EACH one has had the time to incorporate and mix into the batter.

Beat in sour cream and salt.

Coarsely crush the cookies.

Add to batter.

Stir in crushed cookies by hand.

Divide the filling among the cups
Filling them to the top.

Bake until set, about 22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking.

Transfer to a wire rack and cool for about 15 minutes.
Then, refrigerate for 4 hours.

These will prove to be another hit in your house!
Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of http://cookingwithmandy.blogspot.com/2012/10/cookies-cream-cheesecake-cupcakes.html

Dark Chocolate Cake

This is my husbands FAVORITE cake!

After I completed my first NPC competition, this is the first thing I wanted to make. 

Not only because I've deprived my own husband from having it (due to my lack of willpower with a gorgeous chocolate cake in the house) 

but because I wanted to sink my teeth INTO something really decadent.

So, I wanted to share the "Dark Chocolate" joy with you.

Ingredient List:

2 cups Sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 cup BOILING water

Put all dry (first 6 ingredients) ingredients in a bowl.
Mix well.

Grease and Flour two 9-in. round baking pans

Prepare the boiling water.
1 Cup. water on medium-high heat (by the time it's boiling, you'll be ready to add it)

Add eggs and milk.
Mix.

Add vegetable oil and 2 tsp. vanilla
Mix with a medium speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes.

Add 1 C. boiling water and stir.

Batter should be runny.

Pour equally into 2 prepared pans.

Put in 350 degree oven for 30-35 min or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 min in pans.

Shave off rounded top (if you want to) with a long, serrated knife.

Remove from pans to wire racks.
Cool Completely.
Then, prepare dark chocolate frosting.

DARK CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Ingredients:

6 tbsp. ROOM TEMPERATURE butter

2 2/3 Cups powdered sugar

1/2 Cup cocoa powder

1/3 C. milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

 FIRST, in a small bowl, beat the butter until creamy.

Then add the powdered sugar and cocoa over the butter.
Beat well.
Then add in milk and vanilla.

Beat with an electric mixer.
DONE.

Frost the top of one cake.
Place other round on top.

Frost Entire cake and sit back and relax with smooth, creamy bites of a rich and delicious cake.
 Incredible.

Recipe adapted from: Hershey's 100th anniversary chocolate cooking book, Deep Dark Chocolate Cake.

Banana and Toasted Coconut Cupcakes

Here's my version of "Banana Bread"

I've always loved making savory breads...Banana, Zucchini, Chocolate...etc. (I'd like it even more if I could eat it...that's okay....7 more weeks and I'll bake me and my teammates a TON of these, after our show)

But, I've LOVED playing with the traditional banana bread recipe and adding my own things and taking out what I don't want. 

So....Here's MY version! 

Ingredients:
1/3 C Butter (softened)
3/4 C sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 C. Raisin Bran (I remove the raisins)
1/2 Tbsp. Flax seeds (if you don't have these, no big deal)
1 1/2 C. Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 (medium to large sized) bananas
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp. Vanilla
(makes 12 cupcakes + 14 mini bite cupcakes) or (16 cupcakes)

Cream Butter, sugar and egg.
Add in the 1 C. Raisin Bran and  1/2 Tbsp. flax seeds.

In a separate bowl:
stir together  1 1/2 C. flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. baking soda.

Add Flour to creamed butter mixture, then MIX

Mix well. You should see that it'll be a bit chunky looking.

Then you'll need 4 VERY ripe bananas.

Add to mixture.

Blend well, then add 2 Tbsp. water

Then, add 1 tsp. Vanilla

Get your cupcake pans ready.

I fill up a DOZEN cupcakes

...then I use the rest to make MINI bites.

Bake 350 for 23 min.
You can put BOTH pans in together and remove the mini bites after 18 min. or so (just check with a toothpick)
Leave the bigger cupcakes in until about 22-23 min. (periodically check with a toothpick)

Once done. Let them COOL.

Make the Cinnamon Vanilla Frosting:

In a small bowl mix together:

2 Tbsp butter softened (not melted)

2 C. powdered sugar + 1 tbsp

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. Vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. Coconut extract

(if you want it a bit thinner, add milk. If you want it thicker add a little more powdered sugar)

Time to toast your own COCONUT!
Super easy.
Place shredded coconut on baking pan.

Place under a broiler.

Watch carefully, and continue to stir.

I will slowly toast to....

.....Perfection!

Frost the "Cooled" cupcakes with the Cinnamon/Vanilla Frosting.

Dip in toasted Coconut.

And...
ENJOY!!!

So, there you have it.
My version of the age ol' banana bread!