Cupcakes! Muffins! Yes!

Well, it's Friday which means it's my day off and I've been sitting around waiting for Verizon to finish setting everything up. To kill some time I decided to jump back into my baking. Today I have two recipes for you guys!

The muffins I decided to make so that two of my roomies, Erin and Amber, who take early morning drives up to DC for their internships could have something sweet but healthy to grab on the go. These turned out so cute and delicious!

Mini Chocolate and Pumpkin Muffins
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Arrowhead Mills brand organic enriched unbleached white flour
• 1/3 cup raw cocoa powder
• About 1-1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or applesauce
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs or egg replacement equivalent
• 16 oz canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp Simply Organic brand vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Spray your mini muffin pans with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another larger bowl, mix together oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. Mix flour mixture into wet mixture until they are well combined.

Using a spoon, fill the mini muffin pan with the batter 3/4 full and bake for about 18-20 minutes until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Cool and enjoy!!!

This second recipe is one I've done so many times I feel like I could make it without having to look at my recipe but it's been awhile since I've pulled out my cupcake pan (ugh) but they turned out marvelous regardless :-)

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes (Vegan)
(adapted from a recipe I found years and years ago that was originally not vegan)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened organic Almond milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup no sugar added applesauce
• 1.5 tsp Simply Organic brand vanilla extract
• 1 cup Arrowhead Mills brand organic enriched unbleached white flour
• 1/3 cup raw cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt (do not use Kosher; it will be too harsh)
• 10 broken apart Oreo cookies
• 12 Oreos or 6 Oreos cut in half

Preheat oven to 350. Line your cupcake pan with liners (I only had Halloween ones left. Oops).

In a large bowl mix the almond milk and apple cider vinegar and let it sit long enough to curdle.
*I know this sounds gross but it's the vegan equivalent to buttermilk and I swear it makes it a humongous difference!!!

Once the milk is curdled, add in the sugar, applesauce, and vanilla and beat with a hand mixer until foamy.

In another large bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add this dry ingredient mixture to the wet while continuing to mix with your hand mixer until well combined. Add in the broken cookies. (I tend to just use my hands to smash them up.)

Fill cupcake tins halfway to 3/4 full with the batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before icing (or leave them bare like I did today). Top each one with another cookie. Enjoy!

What a good day getting to hang out with the dogs, bake treats, and lay around. I love Fridays.