Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Original recipe here

Gary and the kids (but especially Gary!) loved these!  It's not health food by any means, but it's better than regular chocolate cake and at least has a cup of zucchini hidden inside!  They were very moist.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (**I used a gluten free flour mix instead of whole wheat.  Next time, I'm going to try all GF flour because they were plenty moist)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a muffin pan by spraying cavities with non-stick spray or insert muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and the cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce, vegetable oil, milk, and the vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the zucchini and the chocolate chips.
4. Divide the batter evenly amongst each cavity (for only 12 muffins, you will need to fill each one very full). Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let muffins cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Carrot Muffins/Cupcakes

These are delicious!

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cups vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups shredded carrot

Heat oven to 350.  Whisk flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  In another bowl, whisk oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Mix flour mixture into oil mixture.  Add carrots.  Transfer to muffin tins and bake for about 18 minutes.

Optional:  Top with this frosting.

I have not idea where I got this recipe!

Jumbo Coffee-Cake Muffins

Gary loves these- very decadent!

for streusel:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

for muffins:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1  3/4 cups flour, plus more for pans
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

1. Prepare streusel:  In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.  With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles large coarse crumbs; refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Prepare muffins: preheat oven to 350.  Butter and flour two jumbo 6-cup muffin pans.  In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sour cream, sugar and vanilla on medium until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined.  With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture just until combined.

4. Divide half the batter among muffin cups; top with half the streusel.  Cover with remaining batter; top with remaining streusel.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.  Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

From Food magazine.

Banana Muffins/Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar 
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4)
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture.  In well, mix together butter, bananas, eggs and vanilla.  Stir to incorporate flour mixture but do not overmix.  Divide evenly into a 12 cup muffin pan lined with paper liners.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

If you want to turn them into cupcakes, try my "Sprinkles" cream cheese frosting.  I created it to mimic Sprinkles frosting.  It's definitely not exactly like Sprinkles, but it's delicious nonetheless.  You can make it different flavors by adding different juices and/or extracts.

FROSTING
1 1/2 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 tbsp. whole milk or cream

Beat all the ingredients.

Cornbread

1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray (you can also use a 9-inch baking dish).  In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Stir in the rest of ingredients until well combined.  Poor batter into muffin tin, almost to top (I was able to make 10).  Bake for 18-20 minutes for muffins or 20-25 minutes for baking dish, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.