100 Calorie Cupcake

The 100 Calorie Cupcake!

My little family was invited to a friend's house for dinner a few weeks ago.  We had the most moist, delicious, low calorie cake ever.  When I heard the recipe I couldn't believe how easy and quick it was, so naturally, I had to try it out in cupcake form.  Totally delish and worth every calorie!

Cake

Mix 1 box cake mix (just the mix, do NOT add water, eggs or oil) with 1 can diet soda

(*Pictured: white cake mix with Diet Sierra Mist)

Frosting/Topping

Mix 1 small tub of lite whipped topping with 1 small container of yogurt

(*Picutred: whipped topping with strawberry yogurt)

See...super easy!  Go ahead and give it a whirl.  No one will believe that each cupake is only 100 calories.  And at that count you can eat two!

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Last week my daughter participated in the children's program at church.  We decided that we better thank everyone who worked so hard to prepare such a wonderful program.  We browsed Pinterest for a while until she decided on the perfect cupcake.  She selected Chocolate Chip cupcakes.  I used a simple Devil's Food chocolate box cake mix but used my own White Almond frosting recipe. 

I also found (on Pinterest) this cute way to deliver an individual cupcake.  Too, cute, isn't it? 

Fudge Mint Brownies

My sister introduced me to Pinterest a few months ago. The first time I logged in their servers were having some problems and I told my sister "This Pinterest is so dumb." She told me that just because I didn't understand how it worked didn't mean that it was dumb. Glad she shoved that in my face because I LOVE Pinterest now.

Thank you, Glorious Treats (via Pinterest), for your Fudge Mint Brownies!

Sopapilla Cheesecake

I found this recipe on My Yellow Umbrella via Pinterest.  Holy shniekies! is it ever good!  It's essentially a layer of cream cheese sandwiched between buttery crescent rolls and topped with sugar and cinnamon.

Yeah, yeah, I know I said I wasn't making any more treats until I lose the baby weight.  I had a good excuse this time.  Hubby asked me to make them so he could take them to visit a family.  I just kept the leftovers. :)

Gold Medal Chocolate Chip Cookies

A few nights ago our friends brought us a big plate of chocolate chip cookies.  They were perfect; soft, chewy, round and delicious.  I ate six for breakfast the next morning.  No joke.  When I asked my friend for the recipe I just about died laughing inside.  You know that episode of Friends where Monica is trying to write the recipe for Phoebe's grandma's chocolate chip cookies?  That's what our conversation reminded me of.  The recipe for these cookies is straight off the back of the Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour bag. (I omitted the nuts.)

I baked some of the dough in the mini-muffin pan so my mini-me and I could have a tea party treat.  I highly suggest this, as with a dollop of ice-cream on top this makes a perfect mommy/daughter treat, especially when served up on her very own tea plate.  (It also makes a great treat while watching Project Runway with a BFF.)

Gold Medal Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1 c butter or margarine, softened
1 egg, room temperature
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag (12 oz) choclate chips (2 cups)

1.  Heat over to 375.  In large bowl, mix sugars, butter and egg.  Sitr in flour, baking soda and salt.  Stir in chocolate chips.
2.  On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until ight brown (centers will be soft).  Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Strawberry Trifle: Cheater's Choice

I love Summer for so many reasons! One of my favorite things of Summer is all of the light, fruity desserts. Nothing beats a fresh fruit trifle on a warm summer evening.

This is another Cheater's Choice. It's really simple to throw together and is a great take-along to a group BBQ or family dinner.

Strawberry Trifle: Cheater's Choice
1 yellow cake mix box
1 tub strawberries
3/4 c sugar
1 8oz container whipped topping

Bake cake according to directions.  Let cool.  Cut into 1 inch cubes.
Slice strawberries.  Stir in sugar.  Chill in refridgerator for 2 hours.

In glass bowl layers cake cubs, strawberries, whipped topping.  Repeat.

Chill 2 hours before serving.

Candy Filled Brownie Bites

This recipe came from Aly over at Some Kind of Delicious.  I've been wanting to make these go-to treats for months now and finally got around to it this morning. 

Check Aly out.  She has tons of tasty treats and delicious meals.

Boston Cream Pies: Cheater's Choice

I was looking through my cupcake book the other day and decided that I wanted to try out making cupcake style Boston Cream Pie. I soon figured out that I didn't have enough time to make everything from scratch so I figured out my own cheater's way of doing it. So simple and satisfying.

Bostom Cream Pies: Cheater's Choice
1 box vanilla cake mix
1 box vanilla instant pudding
6 oz chocolate chip pieces

Prepare cake mix into 24 cupcakes
Prepare vanilla instant pudding
After cupcakes are cooled, cut in half with serrated knife
Spoon 1 Tbsp pudding onto each bottom half
Top with top half of cupcake
Melt chocolate chips and spoon onto top of cupcakes
Chill

See...simple!

Cowboy Cookies

My friend, Leslie, first introduced me to these at her son's birthday party (I believe her neighbor, Amber, made them). I won't admit to how many I ate that day. I finally snagged the recipe from her and got around to making them today.  I don't know why they're called Cowboy Cookies, but saddle up, baby, because your taste buds are in for a ride!

Cowboy Cookies
1 cup shortening (recommended: Crisco)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla 
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups rolled oats
1 (6-ounce) package chocolate chips
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 
Add all wet ingredients first and then sift in dry ingredients.   Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

*Amber says the secret to these is to mix everything by hand.

Citrus Splash

Hot this Summer? Cool yourself down with a simple Splash of Citrus. 

Citrus Splash
Mandarine oranges
Pineapple tidbits
Vanilla yogurt

Pour vanilla yogurt in bottom of glass
Layer with mandarine oranges
Then pineapple
Repeat

Oreo Mud Cake

I created this simple treat straight from my own little brain (doesn't happen all that often).  Once, when I was still living in Hawaii, I made a vanilla-banana-butterfinger cake (I should make that again!) for a friend's birthday.  Everyone was a bit weary to try it at first but it ended up being really good.  This reminds me of that- just a few simple things thrown together.  Makes a simple, delicious, cool Summer treat.

Oreo Mud Cake

1 box chocolate-fudge cake mix

1 box chocolate instant pudding

1 12 oz tub whipped topping

2 sleeves Oreo cookies

Bake cake mix as directed.  Cool.  Cut into small cubes.

Prepare chocolate pudding as directed.

Crush Oreo cookies.

Generously scatter cake cubes in bottom of 9x13 pan

Cover cubes with chocolate pudding

Layer whipped topping on top of pudding

Top with crumbled Oreo cookies

Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Peanut Butter Squares

These homemade Peanut Butter Squares have been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. I don't really even know where the recipe came from, but it's always been around.  It's quick, easy, and super addicting.  Use caution; you'll want to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Homemade Peanut Butter Squares
1 package + 2 whole crackers from another package of graham cracker crumbs crushed
2 cubes margarine melted
1 cup peanut butter
1 box powdered sugar
6 oz chocolate chips

Combine crushed graham crackers, margarine and peanut butter
And powdered sugar
Press in 9x13 pan
Melt chocolate chips and pour over peanut butter mixture
Cool in fridge

Rainbow Jello Slices

Apparently I have a fetish for fun foods.  I saw these on pinterest and had to try them.  Good thing I had a birthday party to use them at.  These were so much fun! They are just a tad time consuming to make (if you make 6 different colors) but well worth it for the kids.

All have you have to do is:

1.  Cut oranges in half

2.  Remove fruit down to the peel

3.  Fill with jello

4.  Let set as jello recipe calls for

5.  Slice into normal size orange slices

The kids LOVE to eat them.

Rainbow Fruit Kabobs

It's no secret that kids (especially my kids!) love fruit.  I saw these online and thought it was a great treat for my girl's birthday party.  No recipe needed.  Enjoy!

Saturday Morning: Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

This morning I was watching our friend's 2 children while my hubby and their dad helped a family move. What better way to keep kids entertained than to let them bake? I've had a box of carrot cake mix sitting in the pantry so we skipped the "from scratch" and just used the box. We did make our own icing, though.

Happy Father's Day!

FYI: Brownie mix also works in the waffle iron.

Little Gracie's

Poor little Gracie broke her arm.

And although I'm not State Farm,

I'm pretty sure these cheered her up.

At the very least I got a smile.

I used the recipe for "homemade oreos" and just left them separate instead of sandwiching them together.  They're purple because little Gracie deserves something cute.

 

Recipe:

1 cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 c oil

 

*Mix it all together, shape into small balls and bake at 375 for 8 minutes.

Waffle My Heart

I heard of this a few months ago and finally got around to trying it out. It's so genius.  Who doesn't love waffles, and who doesn't love cake?  What a combo.

All you have to do is prepare a  cake mix (I just used a box to try it out) and cook it in the waffle iron instead of the oven.  Be aware, it cooks quickly so don't leave it on the iron too long.  Serve with a scoop of cold ice-cream.  Delish!

Blueberry Surprise

I was browsing the latest edition of Family Circle and came across this delicious looking summer treat.  I love me a blueberry muffin, so I could only guess that a blueberry cupcake would be that much better.  Oh. My. Gosh.  They are so good.  Even my hubby likes them, and he doesn't like sweets.

So you don't have to look it up, here's the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4  cups  all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4  cup  sugar
• 2    eggs
• 3/4  cup  milk
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 3/4  cup  fresh blueberries
• 1 1/3  cups  heavy cream
• 3  tablespoons  granulated sugar
• 2/3  cup  fresh blueberries
• 1  tablespoon  confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line one 12-cup cupcake pan with foil or paper cupcake liners.
2. Cupcakes. In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. On low speed, add half the flour mixture. Beat in the milk and vanilla, followed by remaining flour mixture. Fold in fresh blueberries.
3. Spoon batter into pan, a scant 1/3 cup in each indent. Bake at 375 degrees F for 23 to 25 minutes, turning pan once. Cool in pan on wire rack, then remove cakes from pan to cool completely.
4. Prepare Topping. In large bowl, combine cream and granulated sugar. Beat until medium-stiff peaks are formed. Spoon onto cooled cupcakes, about 1/4 cup on each. Scatter 6 or 7 blueberries over each cupcake, and dust with a little confectioners sugar, if desired. Serve immediately or keep cool until serving.

Hot Fudge Sundae {on a Rainy Day}