Apple Pie Bars

Thanks to a sale at Costco, and my forgetful nature, I now have close to two dozen apples at my house. Now, I love apples... But I really can't eat more than one (maybe two) in a given day. So naturally, I saw this as a challenge.

How many apple-y things can I make before 1) I turn into an apple myself, 2) I develop an apple-intolerance or 3) the apples go bad?

Challenge accepted.

Results? Deliciousness.

Apple Pie Bars

adapted from Allrecipes.com

So much delicious happening right here.

Bars
1 cup sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon rum (or vanilla extract)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup chopped apple

Topping
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9x9 baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of white sugar with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the egg, buttermilk and vanilla. 

3. In a smaller bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and spices.

4.  Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture.

5. Stir in chopped apple.

6. Spread into prepared pan.

7. In a small bowl, mix together remaining cinnamon, sugar and cardamom. Sprinkle over the top of the apple mixture.

8. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

9. After they have cooled, cut them into squares.

Drunken Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting

I'm not sure what your doctor would have to say about it, but downing --at least-- one of these apple-based bad boys a day sounds like a genius idea to me.

I have been trying to concoct a cupcake that perfectly marries the combination of salty and sweet that my taste buds seem to be constantly craving. I wanted a kettle korn cupcake, but I know that no matter what I do I won't be able to capture that perfect crunch. I'm not sure kettle korn is really meant to be any thing other than, well, kettle korn.

But with a bowl of apples slowly over ripening on my kitchen table and salted caramel mochas on the menu at Starbucks, and idea came to me....

Drunken Apple Cupcakes

with Salted Caramel Icing

 Photo by Jessica Y.

The perfect combination of salty and sweet: salted caramel frosting and rum-drunk apple cake. 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup salted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup applesauce, at room temperature
2 large eggs
3 tsp rum
1 cup finely grated Granny Smith Apples

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, set aside. 

3. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, blend together butter, sugar and applesauce until well blended and fluffy, about 1 minute. 

4. Add in eggs one at a time mixing until combine after each addition. Blend in rum. 

5. With mixer on low speed, slowly add dry ingredients and mix just until combine. Fold in finely grated apples (as well as the juice of the grated apples). 

6. Divide batter among paper lined muffin cups filling each cup halfway. 

7. Bake cupcakes in preheated oven 17 - 19 minutes until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. 

Icing 

1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup Caramel Sauce (homemade or store bought... depending on how motivated you are)
1 tsp rum

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. 

2. Add powdered sugar and blend on low speed until mixture comes together. 

3. Add caramel sauce and rum and whip on medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 3 - 4 minutes.

4. Frost your cooled cupcakes!

'Healthy' Cupcakes

I took cupcakes to the gym today.

That has to be some sort of sin.

The two things that I have come to love most, and that take up the majority of my time outside of working, are baking and working out. Not working out in the "pumping iron" sense of things... but Zumba'ing, running, playing volleyball on the beach with some of my favorite ladies, being active type stuff.

When I first started cooking, I was mainly doing it so that I could count calories. I had embarked on a weight loss journey, and I didn't want to FUBAR it by pounding down calories when I didn't realize what I was doing.

Now I've gotten to a point where I just enjoy the process--playing with flavors, trying new things, making things that are so delicious that I don't care what the calorie count is (ok, let's be real... I do care. That's why I go on 5-mile runs before days I know I'll be in the kitchen all day).

I suppose I'm a walking oxymoron... A baker who loves the gym. People who know me always ask if I make healthy cupcakes... I think that's kind of an oxymoron, too. Sure, there are some that are much better for you than others... But let's be real... Anything with frosting? Not calorie-friendly.

As my baking skills have developed, I've learned how certain ingredients work with one another. I've also figured out the science (a little) behind cooking. As someone who chose her major based on which one required the least math and science, I suppose it's somewhat shocking that I love the long equation and science experiment that baking truly is. But I understand it. Not like algebra. Baking tastes good. Math doesn't.

So the really long answer to the fairly simple question, "Do you make healthy cupcakes?" is that it really depends on what your definition of healthy is. Is it going to be a calorie-free, stuff-your-face and lick-your-fingers-clean sort of experience? No. Because there is butter. And sugar. And... FOOD. But do I try and supplement healthy alternatives when I can? Yes.

And the results are here. I've tried two recipes that are on the lower side of the calorie scale... And now you can enjoy them!

Drunk (but healthy!) Carrot Cake

photo by Jessica Y.

Let's talk about the many levels of awesomeness in this photo. 1) clearly, delicious carrot cake cupcakes. 2) I now have some really kickass business cards. 3) That is a six pack carrier that I transformed into a cupcake box. Recycling=winning.

4 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup apple sauce

1/4 cup beer

1/3 cup vegetable oil

8 oz. crushed pineapple, juice drained

3 cups shredded carrots

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mix together all wet ingredients.

3. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. 

4. Add the eggs to the wet mixture, one at a time.

5. Add the carrots and pineapple to the wet mixture.

6. Add the flour mixture.

7. Fold in almonds. 

8. Scoop in to cupcake liners and bake for 15-17 minutes, until the top of the cupcake springs back when pressed gently. The tops will be very shiny. Let cool for 10 minutes before enjoying.

FROSTING

8 oz cream cheese

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons milk

3.5 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon beer

1. Mix together beer, extract, cream cheese and cinnamon.

2. Add powdered sugar. Add milk, as needed, to get desired consistency.

Muffin-Cakes

Adapted from Cupcake Heaven

3/4 lb. butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled and cubed

1 ripe banana

1/2 tsp. vegetable oil

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cub brown sugar

3 Tbs. apple sauce

3 large eggs

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. Toss the squash with the oil. Spread in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until softened. Mash into a chunky pulp. Mix in the banana and apple sauce.

3. Reduce the oven to 350.

4. Cream the butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. 

5. Sift together spices, flour and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture.

6. Fold in banana/squash/applesauce mixture.

7. Spoon into baking cups. Bake for 17-2 minutes, or until top of cupcake springs back when poked.

These will work well with the frosting above--just omit the beer and almond extract. OR, they are more muffin-like in their texture, so they could work without frosting as well.

Enjoy!