With Sprinkles on Top

I posted this chart last fall, but wanted to bring it up again in case you missed it!

What is your favorite kind of apple? I like granny smith and honeycrisp!

Each weekend in autumn brings football, football, football. My beloved Badgers play the Buckeyes today & the Packers play the Dolphins. Last weekend I made these cupcakes for a Badger game tailgate. I was short on time and energy the night before, so I used boxed cake mixes. And yes, I’m aware that box cake mixes make some purists cringe.

What are your thoughts on boxed cake mixes? Yay or nay?

I believe that if you’ve got both the time and the energy, you should make your cake, cupcakes, or other baked goods from scratch. They just taste better and are usually better for you (despite the amount of butter that goes into some recipes!). But sometimes life just gets in the way, which is why I see no problem in using box mixes every now and then. I get frustrated by the purist attitudes of some food bloggers – that if you don’t grow your own vanilla beans or buy the most expensive butter, that you shouldn’t be baking. Ridiculous. Not all of us have the time and money to dedicate our lives to the art of it — and baking isn’t always about the end result. Baking is about friends and family, it’s about making memories. My best friend in high school used to come over to my house about once a month – and we’d make ridiculous creations using boxed cake mixes. Rainbow cakes and crazy cupcakes. I remember the fun I had with Emily and that matters more than the fact that our baked goods weren’t made from scratch.

I could also write about the aversion that some have to using vegetable shortening. Shortening probably isn’t the best thing for you and some people don’t like the greasy taste that it brings to frosting or baked goods. But a little frosting that includes shortening is not going to set the world aflame. Everything in moderation, right?

So do what makes you happy. Use the ingredients that make baking fun for you. Enjoy the process (and hopefully the yummy end results!).

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Spoooooooooooooooky!

I don’t have a new recipe for this post, as these cupcakes were made using the pumpkin cupcake recipe from a few weeks ago. I bought the “eyes” at a baking store called Vanilla Bean, here in Madison. I piped the frosting onto each cupcake using a flat Wilton petal tip (#103).

Hope you are all enjoying this Halloween season.

Hoot hoot! I love owls. This is not the first time owl cupcakes have made an appearance on this blog and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

Halloween Hoot Owls
Recipe source: Land O Lakes
Print Recipe

Cupcakes
1 package butter recipe white cake mix
1-1/4 cups water
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 cup sweetend flaked coconut (I’m not a coconut fan, so I omitted this ingredient)

Frosting
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tablespoon milk

Decorations (if making 24 cupcakes)
48 butter rum-flavored candies with holes (Lifesaver brand)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
24 whole cashews
Handful of chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Combine all ingredients except coconut in large bowl. Beat according to box directions. Gently stir in coconut. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 19-22 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool completely.
3. Combine all frosting ingredients in medium bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
4. Frost cooled cupcakes.
5. Place 2 butter rum candies on each cupcake for eyes. Dip bottoms of chocolate chips into frosting; place onto each candy circle to form center of eye. Arrange almonds above eyes for feathers. Add cashew for beak.

Store refrigerated in container with light-fitting lid.

*If you can’t find butter rum candies, you can always use yellow or orange Lifesavers instead.

Apples + puff pastry? Yes, please. This recipe is super easy – it’s liking making a pie, but with a fraction of the work!

Apple Strudel
Recipe adapted from sugarcrafter.net
Print Recipe

2 apples, peeled and chopped (I used Granny Smith – as I think tart apples are best suited to baked goods)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 sheets puff pastry*, thawed

*I used Pepperidge Farm‘s frozen puff pastries. I typically don’t do product plugs on this blog, but their puff pastries are tasty and super easy to use.

1. Preheat oven to 375F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut the apples into small chunks. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice. Add in the sugars, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg – tossing to coat evenly.
3. Roll out each puff pastry sheet and spread half of the apple mixture on each, leaving space on the sides. Fold the top half over and pinch to seal the edges. Cut slits in the top of the dough and brush the strudel with an egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
4. Bake about 40 minutes or until golden brown.

If you don’t perfectly seal the edges, it’s no big deal. Try your best, it will still bake well and taste good! Here’s what it will look like coming out of the oven. I think this photo is hilarious – because I kind of see a grumpy-looking face in the pastry. Or maybe I’m going crazy.