Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Probably by now everyone has had their pumpkin fix for the year. Just in case you haven't or if you're someone who bakes with pumpkin all year, give this recipe a try. These cupcakes are like mini pumpkin pies. I recently discovered how well pumpkin and chocolate chips go together when I made this cake. I added chocolate chips to a few of these cupcakes. With or without chocolate chips, these are a delicious and fun dessert!

Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Recipe Courtesy of Baking Bites
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup half and half (or evaporated milk)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and half and half until well combined. Add in dry ingredients and whisk until no streaks of flour remain and batter is smooth.
Fill each muffin cup with approximately 1/3 cup of batter.
Bake for 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan. They will sink as they cool.
Chill cupcakes before serving. Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Makes 12

I am linking this to Foodie Friday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Sweet Tooth Friday.

Devils Food Cupcakes - Club Baked

As with most of my scheduled posts of late, I am running behind. I love all things chocolate and this cake is no exception. The recipe as written makes an 8" layer cake. Still recovering from all of the holiday sweets, I didn't want a layer cake around the house. I decided to cut the recipe in half and make cupcakes. I ended up with 12 cupcakes.

I double checked the recipe and am positive, I used the right measurements but my cupcakes didn't rise. Instead of the Angel Frosting the recipe called for, I added cocoa to some leftover cream cheese frosting that was in my fridge. It complimented the deep devils food flavor nicely. Despite their appearance, these cupcakes are delicious. They are light and fluffy with a deep chocolate flavor. I will be making this one again soon!


You can find the recipe at Just About Food Today. Thanks Natalie for a great choice of recipes!! Check out the links to the other Club Baked bakers cakes here!

Chocolate Nut Biscotti - Chocolate With Francois

Happy New Year Everyone!

Chocolate With Francois was supposed to be posted yesterday but lately my favorite expression seems to be better late than never. Better late than never certainly applies to this biscotti, it's some of the best I've ever made. The recipe calls for aniseed, I didn't have any so I omitted it. Also, the nuts used is the recipe are supposed to be a combination of hazelnuts and pistachios. I only had pistachios, so I just used a few more of them. Despite the changes and omissions, the flavor is a nice, slightly orange and chocolatey. These were a perfect sweet treat with my coffee this morning.

Chocolate Nut Biscotti
Recipe courtesy of Francois Payard

Makes 25 Biscotti

3 tablespoons unsalted Butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon aniseed
1 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted

Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the butter, sugar nad orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until the ingredients are about halfway combined. Add the pistachios and hazelnuts and beat until everything is just combined.

Lightly dust your work surface with flour and remove the dough to it. Roll the dough into a log 12 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. Using your rolling pin, slightly press the log down to flatten its top. This will help the dough spread, to make long biscotti. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the biscotti feels firm when you press on its top. Remove from the oven and let the log cool to room temperature on the baking sheet. Do not turn off the oven.

Using a serrated knife, cut the log diagonally into 1/2 wide slices. Place the slices back on the baking sheet, cut side down and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. The biscotti will crisp up as they cool.

Once completely cool, store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can also store them in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw completely in the refrigerator, overnight, before serving.

Countdown to 2012 - Desserts

It's been so fun this week taking a look back at my favorite recipes of 2011. A big thank you to Sno White of Finding Joy in My Kitchen for hosting this party!!!

Our final countdown is my favorite recipe category, Desserts! Although I don't know for sure but if I had to guess I would think I've posted more desserts than any other category in 2011. I do love dessert but I also belong to two baking groups.

What were my favorite dessert recipes of 2011?

Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake

Cake Batter Ice Cream

Payard's Flourless Chocolate Cake

Happy New Year everyone! Cheers to 2012!

Countdown to 2012 - Crock Pot Recipes

We're nearing the end of Sno White's Countdown to 2012. It's a fun way to look back at all of the recipes you made this year! Today's countdown features crock pot recipes.

If you follow my blog, you know I love my crock pot / slow cooker!! Working full time, it's so wonderful to come home and dinner is ready! It's interesting how crock pots have made a comeback. You can even find recipes that are considered gourmet.



My absolute favorite crock pot recipe this year is Root Beer Pulled Pork. When the grocery store has pork loin on sale, I purchase one, cut it into 4 or 5 loins and freeze them. Some recipes are better suited for the crock pot than others, this is one those recipes. After cooking the pork all day, just shred it, add your favorite bbq sauce and you have the best pulled pork for sandwiches!



Until this year, I'd never made a dessert in the crock pot. On one of our first camping trips this summer, I really wanted a dessert but didn't want to heat the oven. I found this recipe for Crock Pot Chocolate Cake! It's like a pudding cake and is delicious.

Tomorrow's our last countdown and we're ending the year with my favorite category of recipes, desserts!

Countdown to 2012 - Soup Recipes

So far this week in Sno White's Countdown to 2012, we've counted down with our favorite bread and breakfast recipes. I didn't have many to choose from in those two categories. However, today's countdown is soup recipes. I've blogged about quite a few soup recipes this year, so choosing my favorites took a little time.



I love French Onion soup. When I saw this recipe for Crock Pot French Onion Soup, I questioned whether or not you could make good French Onion soup in the Crock Pot. I was pleasantly surprised to learn, you can.



My other favorite soup recipe, Sweet Potato and Black Bean, a meatless recipe that even my meatatarian husband enjoyed.

Stop by tomorrow for my favorite Main Dish recipes!!!

Countdown to 2012 - Bread Recipes

Today's countdown features our favorite Bread recipes of 2011. Although bread is one of my favorite things, I didn't blog about it much in 2011.



However, hands down my favorite bread recipe of 2011 was Nutella Banana Bread. I decided to substitute Nutella for peanut butter in banana bread. If you're like me and love Nutella, you'll love this bread.

You'll find lots of other great bread recipes over on Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

Check back for tomorrow's countdown, soup and stew!