Pumpkin Cake

Welcome to post #2 for fall. We are having Pumpkin Cake today! Yummy!!

Pumpkin Cake

2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of apple sauce
1 cup of canned pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 stick of butter
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder

1. Mix the brown sugar, whole wheat flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder together
2. add in the apple sauce and pumpkin puree
3. soften the butter and then add that in and mix well

Preheat oven 350
Bake for 45 minutes in a bundt pan
Let cool

Easter Dessert - Cupcakes

Easter Carrot Cupcakes
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup of coconut oil1/2 cup of vegetable oil1/2 tsp. sea salt2 tsp. of ground cinnamon (excellent for burning fat)2 tsp. of baking soda 1 tsp. of vanilla4 organic cage free eggs2 4oz. jars of carrot baby food - 100% natural1/2 cup of grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350*
1. mix all dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking soda)2. then mix the oils, eggs and vanilla3. mix the wet with the dry and then add in the baby food and carrots4. mix well and pour batter into your lightly greased and floured (whole wheat) pans5. bake in oven at 350* for 30-40 minutes (use tooth pick to test if it is done)6. let cool for 30 minutes before frosting it

Decorating
Put green icing in a large plastic bag. Cut a hole in the bag. Then squeeze the frosting on the cupcake. Take some Easter Candy and decorate the top however you'd like.
I like to put candy eggs and bunnies on mine.

Carrot Cake Balls

In less than 2 months my mom will turn the big 6-0! I cannot believe it! I've known her almost 4 decades now - haha. I was born when she was 33. So I'm trying to think of a good thing to make her for birthday celebration. She loves carrot cake. Three years I made carrot cake, one year I made carrot oat cookies and this year I am planning to make carrot cake balls. But I of course have to a taste tester before I serve it at the party. Here's the recipe. (Not really healthy, but it's a 60th party, sometimes you got to live a little!)

Carrot Cake Balls
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup of veg oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. of ground cinnamon (good for burning fat)
2 tsp. of baking soda
1 tsp. of vanilla
4 organic eggs
2 4oz. jars of carrot baby food - 100% natural
1/2 cup of grated carrots

1. mix all dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking soda)
2. then mix the oils, eggs and vanilla
3. mix the wet with the dry and then add in the baby food and carrots
4. mix well and pour batter into your lightly greased and floured (whole wheat) pans
5. bake in oven at 350* for 30-40 minutes (use tooth pick to test if it is done)
6. Let it cool for about 45 minutes.
7. Add about 2 large scoops of cream cheese frosting to a bowl
8. then add the carrot cake and crumble it up and mix well with cream cheese frosting
9. form 3 inch balls and place down on parchment paper
10. once you're done with the batch put in fridge to let harder

Place tooth pics in and serve!

Great way to serve dessert at party. I plan to make chocolate cake with peanut butter as well.

Enjoy! 

Apple Sauce (low fat) Cake

So I know what you are thinking - "low fat apple cake, yes I can have my cake and eat it too...but fat free it probably tastes like dog food because if it is low fat it can't be all that good". WRONG! This cake is actually one of the best cakes ever. I swear you will love it and won't even be able to tell that it is healthy...I made this for my mom one time and she raved about it for days...she normally just raves about it for the night she eats it and then moves on - it's just not her personality to rave globally.

Apple Sauce (low fat) Cake
2 cups of natural fat free apple sauce
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/4 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
dash of salt
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 3508
1. Mix all the dry ingredients
2. Then add in the apple sauce and eggs
3. Then add in raisins and chopped nuts - whatever you like
4. Stir well and place in a greased pan and bake for 40 minutes

Serve as is and enjoy!! - Good at room temp, cold or warm.

Carrot Cake

Happy Birthday Mom! Tuesday is my mom's birthday and since I love to cook and bake it is a perfect time to make her, her favorite cake. When my parents got married in 1986 - their wedding cake was carrot cake- that shows how much she loves it. Some people might think carrot cake is a healthy food because it was the word 'carrot' in it, but actually it is not unless you make it with my recipe (the healthie way!)

Carrot Cake
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup of coconut oil
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. of ground cinnamon (excellent for burning fat)
2 tsp. of baking soda
1 tsp. of vanilla
4 organic cage free eggs
2 4oz. jars of carrot baby food - 100% natural
1/2 cup of grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350*

1. mix all dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking soda)
2. then mix the oils, eggs and vanilla
3. mix the wet with the dry and then add in the baby food and carrots
4. mix well and pour batter into your lightly greased and floured (whole wheat) pans
5. bake in oven at 350* for 30-40 minutes (use tooth pick to test if it is done)
6. let cool for 30 minutes before frosting it

Frosting:
You can buy it but then that adds a lot of unhealthy chemicals to your food.

Homemade Frosting
4oz of low fat cream cheese
1/2 cup of unsalted butter
1 cup of confectionery sugar

In a large bowl, 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 and then frost your cake.

Extra Ideas

1) Sprinkle the cake with ground peanuts or almonds or pecans to give it a crunchier taste

2) Buy orange frosting (yest I know it's not healthy but you have to live a little) and decorate it

3) Cake baby carrot sticks and make a decoration (ex: a flower)

Enjoy!

I'll post a photo on Tuesday night :)