Apple Spice Cupcakes

I found this recipe over at Sweet Revelations. I am loving swiss meringue buttercream these days, and use it on all my cupcakes, and these apple spice cakes are perfect for this time of year.


1 1/2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
6 large eggs
3 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup sour cream
3 tart baking apples, peeled and shredded
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the molasses, add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each addition.
Add the flour mixture and sour cream alternately to the batter, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
Stir in the shredded apples and vanilla.
Spoon the batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 22 minutes.

Apple Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 large egg whites
1 cup + 2 tbsp of sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of apple butter

To make the frosting, put a few inches of water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Put the egg whites and sugar into a bowl that will fit over the pan of water and whick until it reaches 150 degrees and the sugar has all melted. Transfer mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk on medium speed until the bowl feels cold (this can take up to 10 minutes) add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, then add the vanilla and apple butter.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

These are Randal's favourite cupcake, so of course I had to make them for the bake sale.


¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. valrhona cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
½ cup black coffee
½ cup buttermilk
1½ tsp. vanilla extract

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt, whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, vegetable oil and egg. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, blend in half of the dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated. Blend in the coffee, buttermilk and vanilla just until smooth. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Divide between baking cups and bake at 350 for 22-24 minutes. Once cooled frost with the salted caramel swiss meringue buttercream, drizzle with caramel and a sprinkle of sea salt and top with a milk dud.

Salted caramel swiss meringue buttercream
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch of sea salt
2 cups unsalted butter cubed, at room temperature
5 large egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

First make the caramel sauce by placing 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the
water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stop stirring and cook until caramel is amber. Remove from heat, and slowly add cream, whisking until smooth. Whisk in sea salt and let cool.

To make the frosting, put a few inches of water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Put the egg whites and sugar into a bowl that will fit over the pan of water and whick until it reaches 150 degrees and the sugar has all melted. Transfer mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk on medium speed until the bowl feels cold (this can take up to 10 minutes) add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, then add the vanilla, a pinch of salt and the caramel sauce.

Salted Caramel Mocha Brownie Cups

Another item I made for the bake sale. As soon as I saw these brownie cups made to be like the starbucks salted caramel mocha drinks, I knew I had to make them. I found this recipe on pinterest (is anyone else addicted to pinterest?)


1 brownie mix
4 tsp instant coffee
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
caramel kisses

Preheat oven to 350.
Dissolve the coffee in the water.
Combine the dissolved coffe with the brownie mix, eggs and oil.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 22-24 minutes.
Let cool for 2 minutes, then press a caramel kiss into the center of each brownie cup, move to a wire rack and let cool completely.
When cold, frost and drizzle with caramel and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Salted caramel swiss meringue buttercream
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch of sea salt
2 cups unsalted butter cubed, at room temperature
5 large egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

First make the caramel sauce by placing 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the
water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stop stirring and cook until caramel is amber. Remove from heat, and slowly add cream, whisking until smooth. Whisk in sea salt and let cool.

To make the frosting, put a few inches of water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Put the egg whites and sugar into a bowl that will fit over the pan of water and whick until it reaches 150 degrees and the sugar has all melted. Transfer mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk on medium speed until the bowl feels cold (this can take up to 10 minutes) add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, then add the vanilla, a pinch of salt and the caramel sauce.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

I found this recipe over at doughmesstic and this turned out to be one of my favourite things I made for the bake sale.


Vanilla cupcakes
3 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 Vanilla Bean, scraped
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1¼ c. buttermilk
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 teaspoons bourbon
strawberry jam
fresh strawberries

Cream cheese frosting
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumb topping
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs

To make the vanilla cupcakes, combine the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside.

Put the butter, sugar and vanilla bean in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat until fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, mix in bourbon and vanilla, With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 18 to 22 minutes.

To make the cream cheese frosting beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.

To make the crumb topping, melt the butter, mix in the sugar and graham cracker crumbs.

To assemble cupcakes, using the cone removal method, add some strawberry jam to the inside of the cooled cupcakes. Top with the cream cheese frosting and sprinkle the crumb topping around the edge of the frosting, cut fresh strawberries in half and place ontop.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

The company Randal works at holds a United Way bakesale every year, and as soon as Randal told me about it I started searching through all my favourite food blogs for things I could make. One of the first things I found were these pumpkin snickerdoodles at annies eats



3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Dash of allspice

Preheat the oven to 350

In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until fluffy, beat in the egg, vanilla and pumpkin puree.

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.

Combine the coating ingredients in a bowl, roll the dough into balls and roll in the coating mixture, place on baking sheet 2 inches apart and flatten slightly.

Bake for 10-12 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

This is quick and easy and just something more interesting than regular mashed potatoes.



3 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 bunch spring onions, sliced

Place potatoes in saucepan, and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Cook until tender, then drain well.

Preheat oven to 375° degrees.

Transfer potatoes back to the saucepan. Mash until almost smooth. Add cream cheese, sour cream, butter, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and the bacon. Spoon mixture evenly into a lightly oiled casserole dish.

Bake for 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and green onions. Bake for 5 more minutes to melt cheese. Serve immediately.

Chicken and Dumplings Casserole

Another recipe I found on pinterest! I haven't had much luck with making traditional chicken and dumplings, and even though I was not sure about this recipe, I am really glad I decided to try it. Randal and I both really enjoyed this.


3 chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup self rising flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter

Bring the chicken broth to a boil, add chicken breasts and simmer for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken from broth and leave to cool. Strain the chicken broth.

Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter and pour into the bottom of a 9x13baking dish, shred chicken and place ontop of the butter. Whisk the milk and flour and carefully pour over the chicken. Mix the chicken soup into the reserved chicken broth and pour over the milk and flour mixture. Bake for 45 minutes.