Butternut Squash Cupcakes with Sour Cream Frosting

I have modified Jamie Oliver's recipe for Butternut Squash Cupcakes.

Jamie Oliver's Recipe

My Recipe:

              For the Cupcakes:

              14oz Butternut Squash

• 1 2/3 C Splenda
• 4 Eggs
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 12 TBLS. Olive Oil
• Handful Walnuts (optional)
• Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 F
  Chop raw Squash roughly and blend or process the heck out of them down to tiny bits. Add Splenda, eggs, salt, wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, olive oil and walnuts and process/blend til smooth.
  Fill cupcake paper liners 3/4 full. Bake 20 minutes.
  Let cool 10 minutes before Icing.

  For the Frosting:
  
  
  

  
  

  Orange Zest

  
  

  Lemon Zest

  1/2 Lemon juice

  2/3 cup low-fat sour cream

  1 tsp Vanilla Extract

  4 TBLS confectioner Sugar

  
  
  
  
  

  Directions

  Mix, taste, add zest/sour cream or Splenda to taste.

  
  

  
  

  
  

Banana Nut Cupcakes with Cool Whip Frosting

I have modified Gina Neely's recipe for Gina's Banana Cupcakes.

Gina's Recipe

My Recipe:

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup Whole Wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Splenda
• 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed
• 1/2 cup chopped un-salted walnuts
• Directions
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 1 (12-cup) muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the butter and the Splenda. Beat with a hand-held mixer until combined. Add the sour cream and the vanilla extract. Slowly beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Incorporate the dry mixture and wet mixtures together until thoroughly combined. Add the bananas and walnuts, being careful not to over mix. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 way full. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops turn golden-brown and when a toothpick, inserted in the middle of the cupcake, comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven to a wire rack and let cool.

For the Frosting:

3 cups Cool Whip

Directions

With a tablespoon, generously add a spoon full of Cool Whip to the top of each cupcake. 

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

• 
  
• I have modified the Barefoot Contessa's Recipe for Carrot Cake Cupcakes.
• Barefoot Contessa's Recipe
• My Recipe:
• 
  
• For the Cupcakes:
• 2 cups Splenda
• 1 1/3 cups canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 cups Whole Wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 cups grated carrots (less than 1 pound)
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped un-salted walnuts

• Directions

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

  Beat the sugar, canola oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. In another bowl, sift together the wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined.
  Line muffin pans with paper liners. Scoop the batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for a further 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

  For the Frosting:
  3/4 pound low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
  1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1 pound confectioners' sugar
  Directions
  Cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.
  When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.

Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

I have modified Giada De Laurentiis recipe for Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Giada's Recipe

My Recipe:

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) canned 100% pure pumpkin (recommended: Libby's)
• 2 cups vanilla cake mix (recommended: Pillsbury Low Sugar Yellow Cake MIx)
• 1/2 cup Skim milk, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (no sugar added) applesauce
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• Directions
• Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 36 mini cupcake molds with paper liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, cake mix, milk, applesauce, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the mixture on low speed until smooth. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Using a small ice cream scoop, fill the prepared molds with the batter. Bake until puffed and golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting, about 20 minutes.

For the Frosting:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup low fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup low fat sour cream
• To decorate: Ground cinnamon 
• Directions
• Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, cocoa powder, and sour cream. Using a hand mixer, beat on low speed until smooth. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

Using a small spatula, spread the frosting on top of the cupcakes. Decorate ground cinnamon.

Zucchini Cinnamon Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

I have modified Martha Stewart’s original recipe for Sweet Zucchini Cupcake.

Martha's Recipe

My Recipe:

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour (I use Organic King Arthur brand)
1 cup packed brown sugar or 1 cup granulated Splenda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped un-salted walnuts
1 zucchini (10 ounces), coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cups of a standard (12-cup) muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in nuts.

In another bowl, combine zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla; add to flour mixture, and mix just until combined (do not overmix).

Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool in tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes out, right side up, and cool completely. Meanwhile, make frosting. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread frosting on cupcakes. The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.

For the frosting:

Makes enough for 12 cupcakes
4 tablespoons room-temperature unsalted butter
4 ounces room-temperature bar low-fat cream cheese
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.

Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.