Healthy Chocolate Banana Quinoa Muffins (and an Alter Eco GIVEAWAY!)

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Healthy or not, these are the best muffins I've made in a long, long time. They're moist. They're packed with flavor. They're rich. They can be eaten for breakfast, a snack or dessert. They're absolutely amazing.

Alter Eco sent over some products for me to sample, and I was excited to whip something up using them. They always have the best globally crafted, organic products, so after all of the holiday indulgences I was roaring to get to the kitchen and use them. I was determined to use both the Organic Royal Black Quinoa and the Organic Mascobado Cane Sugar in one masterpiece, so that's what I did. I filled the rest of the gaps with delicious ingredients such as bananas, cocoa powder and chocolate chips. The result was nothing short of amazing.

 

The bananas made these muffins extremely moist. The muffins themselves had a subtle chocolate flavor because of the cocoa powder, but in every bite you also get a smooth chocolate chip to send your taste buds soaring. The cane sugar gave them the perfect amount of sweetness, and you honestly could barely tell the quinoa was even in there. It added a little texture, but it didn't make the muffins taste any different; it only made them a little healthier! My boys and I loved (like loooooved) these muffins and I'm planning on making them again this weekend!

Now on to the GIVEAWAY!! Alter Eco is generously providing 1 (one) bag of Organic Royal Black Quinoa and 1 (one) bag of Organic Mascobado Cane Sugar to 1 (one) lucky reader of The Savvy Kitchen!! Enter below for a chance to win and make these delicious muffins on your own! Contest is open until February 4th at 11:59pm. Good luck :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open until Wednesday, February 4th at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be announced February 5th. Contest open to US residents only. Winner will be drawn at random and contacted by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Good luck!!

Note: Alter Eco graciously provided me with personal samples and the products for this giveaway. All comments and opinions are my own.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 15 muffins

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3 tbsp. canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup organic black quinoa, cooked and cooled
• 3/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with baking cups (you can also use mini muffin tins if desired). Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the bananas, milk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add the cooked quinoa and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa power, salt, baking soda and baking powder. 

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins, filling about 3/4 full. 

Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (10-12 minutes for mini muffins). Remove muffins from the tin and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

Source: SK Original

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Fluff Frosting

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Happy Halloween everyone! I'm so excited to bring my little monkey door to door for candy this evening. Yes, I'm aware he can't really eat any of the candy yet, but his mommy can...

So, I'm obsessed with these cupcakes. Not only do they scream FALL (pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, etc., etc.) but they have my new favorite frosting on them! Cream cheese and marshmallow fluff. Mixed together. And on top of these babies. I'll clean up that drool for you...

The cupcakes themselves are perfectly moist and full of that fall pumpkin flavor that you see everywhere this time of year. A little cinnamon and nutmeg really go a long way in these cupcakes, and the sweet frosting balances everything out. Definitely make these today! For Halloween! Go!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 24 cupcakes

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin purée 
• 2 recipes Cream Cheese Fluff Frosting (optional)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line 2 (12-well) muffin pans with paper liners. Alternatively, coat the wells with vegetable oil; set aside.

Place the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside.

Place the sugar and measured oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the sugar is incorporated, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula.

Return the mixer to medium speed and add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, about 1 1/2 minutes total mixing time. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the pumpkin, and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula.

Turn the mixer to low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, and beat until almost completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in any unincorporated flour at the edges with a rubber spatula, making sure to scrape to the bottom of the bowl.

Fill the muffin wells three-quarters of the way (about a heaping 1/4 cup per well). Place the muffin pans side by side in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Rotate the pans front to back and side to side and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 10 minutes more.

Place the pans on wire racks and let them cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and cool completely on the racks.

Frost with Cream Cheese Fluff Frosting. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Source: Adapted from CHOW

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!! I hope you all are wearing green today so you don't get pinched ;) Tonight my parents and Chris' parents are coming over for some Slow Cooker Drunken Irish Beef Stew. Well, weather pending (yes, we are STILL expecting snow...it's never going to end). And for dessert? These little babies right here.

I usually don't love cream cheese frosting on chocolate cake, but somehow it works on these cupcakes. I think because the cream cheese flavor isn't too overpowering, and neither is the chocolate flavor. Guinness is in the cupcake (obviously...it IS St. Patrick's Day), which helps make the cake extra moist. Enjoy and have a great holiday! We'll be here shoveling ourselves out of the house if you need us!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, plus more for dusting finished cupcakes
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Pinch fine salt
• 1 (12 oz.) bottle stout beer (recommended: Guinness), room temperature
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (1 lb.) box confectioners' sugar
• Sprinkles, for decorating (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 24 muffin tins or line with baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.

In another medium mixing bowl, combine the stout, melted butter, and vanilla. Beat in eggs, 1 at time. Mix in sour cream until thoroughly combined and smooth. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

Divide the batter equally between muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for about 12 minutes and then rotate the pans. Bake another 12 to 13 minutes until risen, nicely domed, and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out.

To make the icing:In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the heavy cream. On low speed, slowly mix in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Icing can be made several hours ahead and kept covered and chilled.

Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and dust with cocoa or sprinkles, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Food Network

Vanilla Cupcakes & A GENDER REVEAL PARTY!!

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This past Saturday, I hosted our family and some friends over for a little bar-b-que. But this wasn't any type of gathering....we revealed the gender of our bun in the oven!!

YES, I'm pregnant :) And Chris and I couldn't be happier!!

I decorated using all pink and blue to throw everyone off, and I revealed the gender by putting a certain color (pink or blue) frosting in the center of each cupcake. So everyone had to take a bite to find out if we are having a he or she! I used this delicious vanilla cupcake recipe to reveal what our little one is, so scroll below to see some picture from the party and see what we're having :)

The set-up included pink and blue cotton candy, cupcakes, Hershey's bars, chocolate covered pretzels and strawberries with pink/blue decorations, lollipops, gum and drinks! 

Close up

The cupcakes were a hit!

Sign I made with Old Wives' Tales

Chocolate covered pretzels with pink and blue sprinkles

Hershey's bars with "He" and "She" colored in

 

Chocolate covered strawberries drizzled in pink and blue icing.

Cotton candy and pink drinks

Blue drinks

 

Everyone getting their cupcakes...

...and diving in!!

Woohoo!!!

 

Everyone was so excited....

 

....to find out....

 

...it's a......

 

......BOY!!!!!!!!

 

My niece wasn't too excited to hear the news.

Chris making a toast

Cheers!

My niece eventually got excited and forgave me for having a boy instead of a girl :)

My parents, in-laws, Chris and me

My siblings and nephew

A couple of my best friends

 

The inside of the cupcakes!!

Chris is overjoyed to be having a boy...

...and I'm pretty happy myself :)

Printable Recipe 

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
• Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Source: Martha Stewart

Lavender Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

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I really enjoy making birthday treats for family and friends, especially if I have a good idea of something new they might like. For example, my mother-in-law is a lover of lavender, so I knew I wanted to try to make a dessert with lavender for her birthday celebration the other weekend.

I had never cooked with lavender before, so it was a new experience for me. I allowed the buds to sit in the milk for a few hours to soften up and flavor the milk. The aroma coming from the oven while these were baking was delightful, and the lavender flavor in the cupcakes afterwards was mild, yet noticeable. My favorite part was probably the frosting. Using a fresh vanilla bean gave it a strong vanilla flavor, while the buttercream practically melted in our mouths. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tbsp. dried edible lavender
• 1 1/3 cups cake flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. agave nectar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. blue food coloring
• 1/4 tsp. red food coloring

Vanilla Bean Frosting:

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. whole milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine milk and lavender and pulse about 1 - 1 1/2 minutes until lavender is well chopped, scrapping down inside of processor once during processing. Pour into liquid measuring cup (be sure to scrape out all of milk and lavender from sides and lid), and allow to sit for at least one hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Blend in agave nectar. Add eggs one at a time and mix just until combined after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Working in 3 separate batches beginning and ending with flour mixture, add dry ingredients alternating with milk mixture, mixing just until combined after each addition. Mix in the blue and red food coloring just until combined.

Fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full and bake in preheated oven 19 - 21 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to cool several minutes in muffin tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely then frost with Vanilla Bean Frosting. Store in an airtight container.

For the Vanilla Bean Frosting: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter and vanilla bean seeds on medium-high speed until nearly white and very fluffy, about 7 - 8 minutes, frequently scrapping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add in powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until blended, then increase speed to medium and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 - 6 minutes, frequently scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Pipe or spread over cupcakes. For best results use the day prepared.

Source: Adapted from Cooking Classy

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

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You know when I was talking about that dessert that I made Chris for his birthday? The one that you wouldn't want to miss? This is it. Multiple people (including Chris and one of my older brothers) said they think this is the best cupcake they've ever had. I think I agree.

These cupcakes might take hours and hours to make. And hours. When I tell you they are so worth the wait, I'm not even exaggerating. So what if it took from the minute I got home from work until the minute I laid down for bed to make them. They were for my fiance's birthday. His last one as a single man. So he got something special! And something special it was. These cupcakes are out of this world. If you loved licking the spoon out of the cookie dough bowl when you were a kid, these will be right up your alley. And you don't have to worry about all of that salmonella stuff because there aren't any eggs in the filling! Woo hoo! Enjoy :)

Look at that amazing cookie dough filling. YUM!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/2 cups), at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the filling:

• 4 tbsp. (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/2 cups), at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For decoration:

• Mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Line cupcake pan with 24 liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about a half hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. I found this a little tricky to get the hole out but then you get to eat what you take out! Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired and sprinkle with mini-chocolate chips. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Source: Annie's Eats

Carrot Cupcakes

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Hey everyone! Hope you all had a fantastic Easter with family and friends. I'm going to make today's post kind of short for two reasons. 1) It's Monday morning, and it feels like a Monday morning. 2) It's my birthday, and that's the perfect excuse to be a little lazy :) 

I made these carrot cupcakes yesterday for Easter dessert and wanted to share them as soon as possible. So today they're doubling as my birthday cupcakes! Carrot cake is one of my favorite types of cake, and this is the best recipe I've found so far. The applesauce makes the cake extra moist and delicious, which is the only way I like my carrot cake. And you can't have carrot cake without cream cheese frosting. They just go hand in hand. 

Hope you all enjoy! Happy Monday and thanks for stopping by!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
• 3/4 pound raw carrots (about 2 1/2 cups), finely grated
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 cup safflower, vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven.  Place fluted paper liners in 18 muffin cups.

Toast the pecans or walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

Peel and finely grate the carrots. Set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

In bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3 - 4 minutes). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract and applesauce. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts. Evenly divide the batter between the 18 muffin cups (fill each cup about 2/3 full) and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.  

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. With a knife or small metal spatula spread cream cheese frosting (recipe below) on top of each cupcake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

In bowl of electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese and butter, on low speed, just until blended with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth.  Beat in the vanilla extract.

Source: Adapted from Joy of Baking