Mini Marbled Bundt Cakes - Recipe

For the mini bundts:
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup icing/confectioners sugar
2 lightly beaten eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
3/4 cup fat-free milk
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
cocoa powder/icing sugar for dusting or chocolate syrup for drizzling (if desired)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease each well of a 6 well mini bundt pan, or a large cup muffin pan.
    
Wilton mini bundt                                    

 Nordicware mini bundt

In a large bowl, beat the margarine and sugar with an electric mixer until thick and pale. Slowly add the eggs and vanilla, beating well. Mix the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add to the margarine mixture in thirds, adding 1/4 cup of the milk with each interval. Divide the batter evenly into two bowls. Fold the cocoa powder and chocolate chips into one of the bowls using a large spoon or spatula until evenly dispersed. Spoon heaping tablespoon of plain batter into the bottom of each bundt or muffin well, then spoon the same amount of chocolate batter on top. Continue this process until each well is 3/4 full (there should be around 4 layers). Dip a knife into each well and swirl the mixture to create the marbled effect (do not stir). Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove each bundt from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Dust with cocoa powder or icing sugar OR drizzle with chocolate syrup, if desired.

Makes 6 mini bundts or large size muffins

Oatmeal Raisin Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:

• 1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• *(substitute almond or soy milk)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• *(substitute vegan margarine for baking)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Combine oats and milk in a large bowl and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Add egg, butter, raisins, flour, baking powder and salt *only add 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and 1/2 cup chopped nuts to the batter* and gently stir with a whisk until well combined (all ingredients should look wet). Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Sprinkle the top of each cupcake with the remaining brown sugar and chopped nuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes. 

For the icing:

1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening (such as crisco)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 

*(substitute vegan margarine)

1/2 teaspoon rum extract

2 cups icing/confectioners sugar

1 tbsp. milk

*(substitute for almond or soy milk)

1/4 raisins finely chopped

2. Beat vegetable shortening, butter and rum extract on low-medium speed with an electric mixer until well combined and creamy looking. Add in icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time and beat on medium speed until all icing sugar has been added. Add 1-2 tbsp. milk to reach the desired texture. Pour in chopped raisins and gently fold in with a large spoon or spatula. Frost each cupcake using a beveled spatula, knife or piping bag.

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes

White Chocolate & Vanilla Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup icing/confectioners sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips


1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients (except for the chocolate chips) in a large bowl. Beat on low-medium speed with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes. Gently fold in white chocolate chips with a large spoon or spatula until evenly dispersed. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes (depending on your oven). Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes. 


For white chocolate icing:
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
.5 lb. container of vanilla frosting (ensure it is not whipped frosting)
additional white chocolate chips or white chocolate shavings (if desired)


2.(1) In a medium bowl, melt chocolate chips on high in the microwave by 30 second intervals, being sure to stir well between each interval. Once melted, stir in vanilla frosting until well combined. Immediately frost each cupcake using a beveled spatula, knife or piping bag. Sprinkle with chocolate chips or white chocolate shavings for garnish, if desired.


For vanilla icing:
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening (such as crisco)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. clear vanilla extract (regular vanilla extract will work as well, the clear just helps to keep the icing bright white versus creamy/yellowy)
2 cups icing/confectioners sugar
1 tbsp milk (2%, almond, or soy)
additional white chocolate chips or white chocolate shavings (if desired)

2.(2) Beat shortening butter and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and well combined. Add in icing sugar 1 cup at a time and beat until combined, until all 4 cups have been added. Beat in 1-2 tbsp. milk to reach desired texture. Frost each cupcake with a spatula, knife or piping bag. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips or white chocolate shavings for garnish, if desired. 



Makes approximately 18 cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes
(standard recipe):
1 box white cake mix
2 eggs
1 cup water
*(try substituting vanilla almond/soy milk to add to the vanilla flavor)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

For the cupcakes
(gluten free recipe):
1 box El Peto gluten free white cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 cup warm water
*(try substituting vanilla almond/soy milk to add to the vanilla flavor)
2/3 cup Earth Balance vegan margarine for baking

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low-medium for 2-3 minutes. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes (depending on your oven). Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes.

For icing:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (such as crisco)
1/2 cup unsalted butter *(or vegan margarine), softened
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract (regular vanilla extract will work as well, the clear just helps to keep the icing bright white versus creamy/yellowy)
4 cups icing/confectioners sugar
2 tbsp milk (2%, almond, or soy)

2. Beat shortening butter and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and well combined. Add in icing sugar 1 cup at a time and beat until combined, until all 4 cups have been added. Beat in 1-2 tbsp. milk to reach desired texture. Frost each cupcake with a spatula, knife or piping bag. To achieve the look shown try a large open star tip fitted to a piping bag.

Makes approximately 24 cupcakes

*Have a craving for some classic vanilla cupcakes, but not in the mood to make them yourself? Let me bake them for you! From the cupcake shoppe, try Blandilla cupcakes, a delicious french vanilla cupcake topped with whipped vanilla frosting...a classic combination!*
http://www.heartofthebatter.com/Cupcake_Shoppe.html

Pink Grapefruit Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes (standard recipe):
1 box lemon cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup pink grapefruit juice

For the cupcakes
(gluten free/lactose free recipe):
1 box lemon gluten free cake mix
*(El Peto makes some great cake mixes that are gluten free, wheat free and milk free you can find them in any health food store and most Bulk Barn locations)
2/3 cup Earth Balance vegan margarine for baking, softened
4 eggs
2/3 cup pink grapefruit juice

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low-medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes (depending on your oven). Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes.

For the icing:
1/2 unsalted butter, softened
*(Substitute for Earth Balance vegan margarine)
2 cups icing/confectioners sugar
1 tsp. pink grapefruit juice
1 tbsp. lemon zest
1 1/2 tbsp. orange zest
24 pink grapefruit slices (if desired)

2. In a medium bowl, beat all icing ingredients on medium speed until smooth. You can add extra pink grapefruit juice by 1/2 tsp. at a time to adjust the texture. Frost each cupcake with a beveled spatula, knife or piping bag. Top each cupcake with a slice of pink grapefruit for garnish, if desired.

Makes approximately 24 cupcakes

Raisin & Hazelnut Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
(butter can be replaced with soy or vegan margarine that is
specifically designed for use in baking, such as Earth Balance brand)
1 cup icing/confectioners sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts
2 tbsp. golden raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low-medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes (depending on your oven). Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes.

For the icing:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (substitute for Earth Balance to make this recipe lactose free)
2 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 tsp. water (if needed for texture)

2. In a medium bowl, beat all icing ingredients on medium speed until smooth. Frost each cupcake with a beveled spatula, knife, or piping bag.

Makes approximately 18 cupcakes

A Date with Dr. Oz

Ok, so Doctor Oz isn't actually part of today's posting, but I love his show and would like to share with you some medical facts in the Dr. Oz style. As a baker, of course I have to think about what people like best, and how to 'give the people what they want' and as the original cupcake taste tester I had to think about my own needs and dietary issues. So, here come the facts...


Celiac disease (very similar to gluten/wheat allergy/intolerance) is a medical condition in which the absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged by a substance called gluten. This results in an inability of the body to absorb nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, which are necessary for good health.Although statistics are not readily available, it is estimated that 1 in 133 persons in Canada are affected by celiac disease. At present there is no cure, but celiac disease is readily treated by following the gluten-free diet. 
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, triticale, and barley. In the case of wheat, gliadin has been isolated as the toxic fraction. It is the gluten in the flour that helps bread and other baked goods bind and prevents crumbling. This feature has made gluten widely used in the production of many processed and packaged foods. (www.celiac.ca)

Lactose intolerance occurs when a person cannot break down the sugar lactose, that is found in milk. The enzyme lactase is missing, or not working properly for this to occur. People from Africa, Asia, the Orient, as well as Aboriginal North Americans are more prone to lactose intolerance than others. Overall, approximately 1 in 9 people are affected. Adults are more likely than children to be lactose intolerant.

A milk allergy is when a person is allergic to the protein found in cow's milk, and is much more serious. About 1-8% of infants have milk allergies, but milk allergy in an adult is quite rare. Most children will grow out of this problem by age 3. Until that time, breast milk is the perfect food for the child. If this is not possible, then a milk protein-free formula and foods are given. (www.homefamily.net)

*If you think you may be lactose or wheat intolerant, speak to your doctor. While lactose intolerance causes mostly short term and immediate discomfort, gluten inclusive diets can have long term negative effects on people with celiac disease.

So, why am I giving you this information session? This is a topic near and dear to my heart (or I suppose my stomach) because I am both lactose AND wheat intolerant! (I wonder what the chances of that are?!) I live in a world of testing out different products that claim to be 'just as good as the real thing'...most of which, in the early days of 'health food' did not live up to their promises. I understand how difficult it can be to be the one person at the party who can't eat the pizza, or the girlfriend who can't have chocolate's on valentines day...and worst of all, I know how bad it feels to be the one who can't have any of their OWN birthday cake!!! Well I say, NO MORE! This is why, as much as I bake with standard ingredients, I also offer gluten free, lactose free (and sometimes both) kinds of cakes! So you can have your cake, and eat it too! (Sorry, I couldn't resist...)  And trust me, I found out about these intolerances about 15 years ago, so I have had lots of time to do the leg work, find out what products are the best substitutions, and what products are worth the extra money. 

So this is my gift to you, and your tummy...truly delicious baked goods without the guilt or the stomach aches!

As I continue to post the cupcake of the day, I will include products you can try out if you would like to make your own baked goods gluten or lactose free. Knowing where you can find a good health food store will help you to find some of these products, however it seems the rest of the world is finally jumping on the bandwagon and most grocery stores are carrying many soy, rice and almond products. 

Be good to yourself, treat your body well and if all else fails, keep calm and have a cupcake!

Until next time,

Happy baking, caking and tasting

Love and Sprinkles, xoxo

>>>Tell me about your experiences with lactose or wheat intolerance... Have you found any products that you love and think I should try out? Where do you shop to suit your dietary needs? Have any more questions about the gluten free diet? Please post your comments!<<<