Banana Cupcakes with Candied Hazelnuts

Birthday Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Hazelnuts sprinkled with Nutmeg.  Official recipe name but much too long.  It sounds complicated and intimidating.  In reality it is so easy, comes together quickly and helps you use up those spotted bananas in the corner of the fruit bowl. Plus so yummy.
Win. Win. Win. Win.
This is a recipe that has a "dress to impress" kind of look but is a basic banana quick bread that everyone knows how to make.   Don't forget to save a step and a dirty dish using my Kitchen Technique #8 with the mashed bananas.

Banana Cupcakes with Candied Hazelnuts
Print recipe here
½ C unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ C raw cane sugar
2 large eggs
1 C full fat, plain greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 ½ tsp aluminum free baking soda
¼ tsp celtic sea salt
3 spotted bananas, mashed (KT#8)

1. Grease or line with paper liners a 12 cup muffin tray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, whip the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in one egg at a time. Stir in the yogurt and vanilla.

3. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt into the wet batter. Stir in the mashed banana thoroughly. (Kitchen Technique #8)

4. With a spoon or cookie scooper, fill the cupcakes until ⅔ full.

5.  Bake for 14-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only crumbs remaining. Let cool 5 minutes, remove from tray and finish cooling on a wire rack before frosting with Cream Cheese Frosting and topping with Candied Hazelnuts, lightly sprinkle with a bit of nutmeg over top of cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
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1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
¼ C unsalted butter, softened
1 C organic powdered sugar
½ tsp pure vanilla extract

1. With a mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.
Note:  This is a small batch recipe intended for 12 cupcakes.  If you are frosting a cake, double the ingredients listed.

Candied Hazelnuts
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2 TB sucanat or brown sugar
½ tsp raw cane sugar
1 TB unsalted butter
1/2 C whole hazelnuts
pinch of celtic sea salt
pinch of ground nutmeg

1. Over medium heat, melt together the sugar, butter, salt and nutmeg in a small pan stirring frequently.

2. Keep stirring until it bubbles, add nuts and stir until coated.

3. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until nuts turn golden brown in color and smell toasted. Transfer to waxed paper or plate to cool. Break apart and store in a cool dry place.

Happy Birthday Grandma~!!!

Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Mels Kitchen Cafe,  AllRecipes and Saved by the Egg Timer

Cream Cheese Cupcakes with Fresh Berry Syrup

Today is April's Cake Slice Baker's cake post day.  This month the winning recipe was Cold Oven Cream Cheese Pound Cake from Cake Keeper Cakes by Laurra Chattman.  It makes a huge bundt cake that I was not needing.  Reconfigured my tastes and needs, 'Wa-lah!' into a Spring-y cupcake topped with Fresh Berry Syrup and whipped cream for a lush dessert.  Think of a combination between pound cake, cupcake, strawberry shortcake and cheesecake?  But. All. Good.

Cream Cheese Cupcakes
Print recipe here

1 ½ C whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
½ tsp celtic sea salt
¼ C (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 ¼ C organic cane sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure almond extract
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 medium/ large lemon or 2 small lemons, zest only

1. DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN! This is a cold oven recipe. In a small bowl measure your sugar, zest the lemon and mix into the sugar with a fork. Inhale the wonderful smell and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

3. Prepare your muffin tin lining with paper cupcake liners or greasing with a little butter or oil spray.

4. In a large bowl, mix the butter, cream cheese and zested sugar with an electric mixer on a higher speed for 3 minutes until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add in the extracts.

5. Add the flour mixture and mix into the batter in 3 separate increments on a lower speed. Once all is added, mix an additional 30 seconds.

6. Pour the batter into the cupcake cups until ¾ full. Place the pans on the lowest oven rack. Shut oven door and turn your oven onto 325 degrees F. Bake for 30-35 minutes, remove once golden on the top. Let cool in muffin tin for 15 minutes. Place the cupcake on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

7. Serve with Fresh Berry Syrup and a dollop of fresh whipped cream.  Makes 18 cupcakes.

Fresh Berry Syrup
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3 C fresh berries- any variety you desire
½ C raw cane sugar
½ tsp lemon zest (optional)

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Let sit until the juices of the berries come out and make a syrup.  Minimum of 1 hour.
Serve over pancakes, waffles, cupcakes, cakes, ice cream. Add to smoothies, lemonade, seltzers, teas and cocktails.   

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Eggnog Muffins with Eggnog Icing

I am currently sitting in the middle of a blizzard!  Almost everything is closed today, what a great day to stay home and get my Christmas baking started.  Good thing we had a heads up this week, I got to the store and was able to stock up on butter....about 20 pounds.  Because I am such a good friend, I will now relieve you from your deep dark guilt of the amount of butter we use at this time of year. 

Real butter is filled with Vitamin A, D, and E.  Mineral rich with selenium, manganese, chromium, zinc and copper.  Real butter contains the essential fatty acids and CLA which supports a high metabolism and builds muscle.  Who knew that butter would help give you a smaller waistline!  Bottom line, eat like our great grandparents used to with real ingredients and we will have less obesity problems for ourselves and children. If you don't believe me, read the article and studies here.  Seriously, I am going to talk about this when I am baking loads of cookies filled with butter?  Yes! Butter is good for you...Merry Christmas!

Enough of my class lesson, back to the Christmas baking.  I had to give these a try out of the simplicity of them.  These holiday inspired muffins are amazing and simple, perfect as a muffin or cupcake.  If you are short on time like most, impress your family, friends or co-workers with these golden gems. 

Easy as 1-2-3, fast, fancy and flavorsome. 

Eggnog Muffins 
Print recipe here

2 C eggnog, not lite or lowfat
1 ½ C white flour, unbromated and unbleached
2 tsp + ¼ tsp aluminum free baking powder
½ tsp + ¼ tsp celtic sea salt

Eggnog Icing
¼ C powdered sugar
1 TB eggnog
fresh ground nutmeg for sprinkling


1-2-3

1. In a medium bowl measure out the eggnog, briefly set aside.

2. In small mixing bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add flour to the bowl of eggnog and whisk until well blended, about 50 turns (yes I counted!)

4. Scoop 2 cookie scoops into each regular sized muffin liner or greased muffin tin.

5. Bake in 350 degrees F oven for 13-16 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes.

6.  Mix the powdered sugar and 1 TB eggnog. 
 

7.  Drizzle with Eggnog Icing and a sprinkling of fresh nutmeg over the slightly cooled muffins. (Note: Easy on the nutmeg if your not used to using it, it is strong. A little goes a long way.)

 

 

 

Today's recipe is brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Big Red Kitchen