Shan's Desserts

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
¾ cup canned pumpkin
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Makes 12 cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with liners and set aside.

2. In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

3. In separate, large bowl, whisk together both sugars, pumpkin, and vegetable oil until smooth and thoroughly combined.

4. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Slowly fold in flour mixture and mix until combined. Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool on a wire rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

With an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

2. Add cream cheese, salt, and vanilla and continue to beat for an additional 2 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium low and add the powdered sugar slowly. Gradually mix slowly while scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Once combined, beat frosting on medium high for 1 additional minute.

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker’s Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Gluten & Dairy-free Pumkin Donuts with Dark Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients:

Donuts:

coconut oil spray (for greasing the pan)

5 large eggs

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup almond flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Dark Chocolate Glaze:

1/4 dark chocolate, chopped and melted

1 1/2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon honey

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Grease 2 6-cavity donut pans (or 1 12-cavity pan).

2.) Place the eggs, coconut milk, pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla in a food processor and blend until frothy (about 20 seconds).

3.) Add the dry ingredients and blend the mixture on low for about 10 seconds, then on high for about 20 seconds.

4.) Pour the batter into the donut pan, filling each cavity about 2/3 full.

5.) Bake for 20 minutes. Let the donuts cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.

6.) For the glaze: Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. After the donuts have cooled completely, dip the top of each in the glaze and rotate to remove excess.

Recipe adapted from Danielle Walker’s Against all Grain

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest plus 1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 1/4 cups blueberries

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, zest, juice, and milk. Whisk in butter. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, until just combined. Fold in blueberries.

2.) Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups (about 1/4 cup to each). Bake until tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Oatmeal Granola Bars

*Note: My granola bars turned out amazing! I altered the original recipe quite a bit, mostly out of laziness. I was out of a lot of ingredients and did not feel like driving to the store and therefore, improvised. If you are considering making these, it might be worth taking a glance at the original recipe (link below) to get a sense for the changes I made.

Ingredients:

Base:

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup slivered almonds

4 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or coconut oil)

1 teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 bananas

1½ teaspoons vanilla

1 scoop Vanilla Whey Protein

Topping:

½ cup old fashioned oats

1 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup fresh organic blueberries

¼ cup of almond milk (or coconut milk)

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350°. Line 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper, lightly grease with coconut oil (nonstick cooking spray)

2.) Combine all base ingredients in mixer and beat until thoroughly completely combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly with spatula.

3.) Bake for 8-10 minutes.

4.) Combine ingredients for the topping in medium bowl and stir to combine.

5.) Remove the pan from oven, spread topping evenly over and lightly press down into base. Bake an additional 15 minutes.

Recipe adapted from A Healthy Life for Me’s “Oatmeal Superfood Breakfast Bars”

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

Makes 32 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cup plus 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 cup cake flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup plus 4 tbsp. milk, at room temperature
2 cup fresh blueberries

For the frosting:
16 oz. cream cheese
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 large lemon
Additional fresh blueberries, for garnish

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside.

2.) In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, sugar and lemon zest. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

3.)Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice.

4.) With the mixer on low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Add the milk and beat well. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated.

5.) In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour. Add the blueberries to the sugar mixture and use a spatula to fold gently.

6.) Divide the batter equally between muffin liners (each should be about 3/4 full). Bake 20-22 minutes, rotating pans about halfway through. Let cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in pans, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

7.) To make the lemon cream cheese frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Slowly beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with fresh blueberries, sugar pearls, or however desired.

Recipe adapted from Annie’s eats

Nutella Brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Nutella
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup milk chocolate chips for sprinkling

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and 8″x8″ baking dish.

2.) In small saucepan over low heat, melt butter completely. Stir in sugar and continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not allow this mixture to boil.
3.) Remove the sugar mixture from heat and stir in the Nutella until well combined.
4.) Pour butter mixture into a stand mixer. Beat in cocoa powder, eggs, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined. Lastly, stir in the flour and mix for 1-2 minutes, until combined.

5.) Spread into pan,sprinkle chips on top, and bake 30-35 minutes. The center should be slightly moist and the edges set, but not too browned. Let brownies set in the pan until completely cooled.

Recipe adapted from Buns In My Oven

Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb marshmallows

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

12 cups rice crispy cereal

1 cup vanilla cake mix

1/2 cup sprinkles plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling

Directions:

Note: When making rice crispy treats it is important to thoroughly spray every utensil/ bowl/ pan with non-stick spray or butter them. When in doubt, spray a little extra.

1. Spray non-stick 9″ x 13″ pan and set aside. Place butter and marshmallows into large bowl. Microwave in 1 minute intervals, stirring well after each minute.

2. After butter mixture is melted and thoroughly combined, add rice crispy cereal and stir until just combined. Pour in sprinkles and cake mix and fold mixture until all ingredients are well dispersed throughout the bowl.

3. Pour rice crispies into pan and flatten with spatula. Let cool completely before cutting.