Low-Fat Marble Cupcake

(original recipe is from Chocolate and the Art of Low Fat Desserts.

I made a few changes**)

2 cups cake flour (8 ounces)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp instant espresso powder **(I omitted this)

1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa

1 1/3 cups sugar, divided

1/4 cup water, room temperature

6 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft

1 large egg

1 large egg white

1 cup (nonfat) plain yogurt **(I used vanilla yogurt)

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided)

Preheat oven to 350F.I have changed the directions a bit from the original **Use cupcake papers (foil cups are the best) and a muffin tin.

Spray cupcake papers lightly.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Place yogurt into a small bowl and set aside.

In another medium bowl, whisk together cocoa, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water until well combined.

Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar until light, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, followed by egg white, making sure that the egg is thoroughly incorporated before adding the white.

Beat in 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the yogurt in three additions

(flour, yogurt, flour, yogurt, flour) and mixing at low speed until just combined.

Measure out 1 cup of the yogurt batter and stir into the cocoa mixture.

Spread 3/4 of the vanilla batter into the bottom of the prepared cupcake paper. Top with dollops of chocolate batter and top that with the last few dollops of vanilla batter. Use a clean bread knife to gently swirl the batter (make an “S” curve throughout) once.

Bake about 20 minutes, rotating once mid-way through baking time. The cupcakes are done when pressing a finger gently on top of cupcake does not leave an imprint. Cupcake top bounces back up when done.

Frosting: 1 package vanilla pudding mix (3 oz, small box) + Strawberries, pureed and strained to 1/2 c. liquid strawberry juice + 1/2 c. milk. whisk all together until well combined. Then fold in 1 tub of cool whip. Cool in refrigerator for at least an hour. Then put in piping bag and pipe out onto cupcake top and sprinkle!

The cupcakes were made for our friend Reese's 5th birthday party! Here they are on display at her party!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. peanut butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. white sugar

1/2 c. applesauce

beat together until light and fluffy

then add

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

beat all together until combined

In a separate bowl, combine

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

whisk until combined and then add to the wet ingredients.

Beat until just combined.

then add

2 c. old fashioned oats

1 c. mini chocolate chips

Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet.

Bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

Leave on cookie sheet for at least a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are delicious and lower in sugar than

most pumpkin bread recipes.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a very large bowl:

2 c. whole wheat flour

3 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

and whisk together wet ingredients in a medium sized bowl:

1 can pumpkin (1 pound 13 oz can)

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. applesauce

1 c. canola oil

1 c. cold water

2 tsp. vanilla

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and fold until just combined.

Add 2 cups chocolate chips & fold in gently. Do not overmix.

This recipe makes a lot! 36+ muffins or 3 large loaves

Spray your pans and preheat oven to 350*

muffins bake for about 20 minutes. loaves will need longer. It is ready when a finger pressed gently on top bounces back instead of staying indented.

yum! i love pumpkin & chocolate! delicious!

Zucchini Muffins

Wow! These turned out so great that I had to share the recipe with you!

2 c. bread flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

combine above dry ingredients in large bowl & set aside

in medium bowl combine:

3 large eggs

1/2 c. canola oil

1/2 c. applesauce

1 c. white sugar

1 c. packed brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. grated zucchini

whisk together until well combined

add wet ingredients to dry ingredients & fold gently until just combined

Spoon batter into a greased muffin tin.

Bake @ 350 for 18-20 minutes. check muffins & turn halfway through baking time.

(They are done when you press a finger gently on top of muffin

and it bounces back instead of staying indented.)

Delicious!