CUPCAKES BY ABBY

I really like baking cupcakes so I thought that making my own recipe would be a good way to challenge myself. I thought that adding this little twist would make the cupcake a little sweeter, and switching the bleached flour for the unbleached flour would make this recipe a little healthier.

Recipe :

  1  1/2 sticks of butter

1   1/2 cups brown sugar

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cups egg whites about 6 eggs

3 teaspoons of vanilla extract 

3/4  cup of milk

1 banana

1. Set a rack in the middle level of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar for about 5  mins until light and fluffy.

3. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

4. In a third bowl combine the egg whites, milk and vanilla extract. Add a third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and then half of the milk mixture. Continue to alternate the  ingredients.  Scrape the bowl and beater often. 

5. Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pan, bake the cupcakes for 25-30 mins or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.

6. Cool the pan on a rack for about 5 mins, then take the cupcakes out of the pan and let cool completely.

7. Once the cupcakes are frosted you can add a slice of banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon!

I thought the cupcakes were delicious!  My brother and sister did too, my mom thought they were a little sweet with the cream cheese frosting I used. I brought some to my nana and papa's house, they said that they were delicious and really moist. 

Cranberry-Fig Quinoa Tart

Cranberry-Fig Quinoa Tart

Quinoa, high in protein and important amino acids, has a unique, earthy taste that surprises the palate. In this festive tart, a rich cream-cheese dough serves as the base for jewel-toned cranberries and figs stewed in wine, which combine to spectacular (and seasonal) effect.
Ingredients
Serves 6
For the dough:
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup ice water
For the filling:
5 ounces Calimyrna figs, stems removed and halved (about 12 figs)
2 cups frozen cranberries (8 oz.)
1 3/4 cups full-bodied red wine, such as Zinfandel
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
For the finish:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Directions
Make the dough: Sift dry ingredients and transfer to a food processor. Add butter and cream cheese and pulse until pieces range from pea to hazelnut size. Add ice water to mixture. Pulse until dough just starts to come together. If it's too dry, add water 1 Tbsp. at a time. Pile dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, wrap tightly into a disk, and chill for 1 hour or overnight.
Make the filling: Combine figs, 1 1/2 cups cranberries, wine, and brown sugar in a large saute pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until cranberries begin to pop, figs soften, and liquid thickens slightly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in remaining cranberries and red wine vinegar. Let cool completely. (You should have 1 1/2 cups filling.)
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Trim to a 10 1/2-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Brush a 1-inch border with egg wash. Pile filling toward center of dough and fold dough over about 2 inches. Pinch to seal. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake tart until golden and bubbling, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
From Whole Living, December 2010

Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
www.Wholeliving.com

Huge, craggy, chewy, and delicious, these cookies are guaranteed to become classics in your kitchen. The whole-wheat flour gives them a rich nuttiness; the heft, caramel glow, and generous chunks of hand-chopped chocolate make them irresistible.
Ingredients
Makes about 20
Dry mix:
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Wet mix:
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped into 1/4- and 1/2-inch pieces
Directions
Place 2 racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. You can butter the sheets instead, but parchment is useful here because the large chunks of chocolate can stick to the pan.
Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into bowl any remaining bits of grain or other ingredients in sifter.
Add butter and sugars to bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, mix until butter and sugars are just blended, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is combined. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture to bowl and blend on low speed until flour is barely combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
Add chocolate all at once to batter. Mix on low speed until chocolate is evenly combined. Use a spatula to scrape down sides and bottoms of bowl, then scrape batter onto a work surface and use your hands to fully incorporate all ingredients.
Scoop mounds of dough about 3 Tbsp. in size onto baking sheet, leaving 3 inches between them, or about 6 to a sheet.
Bake cookies for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are evenly dark brown. Transfer cookies, still on parchment, to counter to cool and repeat with remaining dough. These cookies are best eaten warm from oven or later that same day. They will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Marmalade Barley Scones

Marmalade Barley Scones
www.Wholeliving.com

Barley is an ancient grain rich in protein and soluble fiber, which is great for reducing cholesterol. These homey, rustic scones are made with buttermilk barley dough and spill over with sunny citrus marmalade. Vary the filling to suit your taste; for a kid-friendly option, try strawberry or raspberry jam.

This recipe was developed by pastry chef Kim Boyce, author of "Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flour."

Ingredients
Makes 8

Butter for the pan
Dry mix
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. barley flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
Wet mix
4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
Finish
1/2 cup Three-Citrus Marmalade, or store-bought marmalade
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
Directions
Place a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Rub a baking sheet lightly with butter. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into bowl any remaining bits of grain or other ingredients in sifter.
Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces and add to dry mixture. Rub butter between your fingers, breaking it into smaller bits. Continue rubbing until pieces range from rice grain to flattened pea size. The faster you do this, the more solid the butter will remain, which is important for the success of the recipe.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg until thoroughly combined. Scrape buttermilk and egg into dry mixture and mix until barely combined.
Use a pastry scraper or a spatula to transfer dough to a well-floured surface. If dough is too sticky to handle, dust it with flour and fold it together a few times. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Flour your hands and pat each piece of dough into a disk about 3/4 inch thick and 7 inches in diameter.
Cover one disk with marmalade. Top with other disk and press down gently so that dough settles into marmalade. Brush dough lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
Use a sharp knife to slice circle into 8 triangular wedges on baking sheet, leaving a few inches between them. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Scones are ready when tops are golden brown and some marmalade has bubbled over. To keep scones from sticking to pan, slide a thin spatula underneath them while they're still warm and transfer to a baking rack. Scones are best eaten warm from oven or later that same day.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Marmalade Barley Scones