Fieldberry & Coffee Muffins - Recipe

2 tbsp. boiling water
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tbsp. milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. walnuts, chopped
3 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/3 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup fresh/frozen thawed field berries 
(such as raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry blend)
Preheat the oven to 400F. In a cup or small bowl, pour 2 tbsp of boiling water over the instant coffee. Stir in the milk (not the buttermilk) , and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, mix the walnuts, flour, sugar,, and baking soda with a spoon or whisk. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and buttermilk with an electric mixer until well combined (about 2-3 minutes). Stir in the cooled coffee. Add the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture stirring with a spoon or whisk until nearly combined. Gently fold in the field berries 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. Remove pan from the oven. Cool muffins for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan. *These muffins are best served warm.*

Makes approximately 12 muffins

Raspberry & Coffee Muffins - Recipe

2 tbsp. boiling water
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tbsp. milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. hazelnuts, chopped
3 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/3 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a cup or small bowl, pour 2 tbsp of boiling water over the instant coffee. Stir in the milk (not the buttermilk) , and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, mix the hazelnuts, flour, sugar,, and baking soda with a spoon or whisk. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and buttermilk with an electric mixer until well combined (about 2-3 minutes). Stir in the cooled coffee. Add the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture stirring with a spoon or whisk until nearly combined. Gently fold in the raspberries 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. Remove pan from the oven. Cool muffins for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan. *These muffins are best served warm.*

Makes approximately 12 muffins

Whole Wheat Plum Muffins - Recipe

2 cups fresh or canned plums, drained
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 lightly beaten egg
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup whole/homo milk

Preheat the oven to 350F. Puree the plums in a food processor. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar with a spoon or whisk. In a large bowl, beat the egg, oil, and milk with an electric mixer until just combined. Stir the peach puree into the egg mixture, then add the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

Makes approximately 6 muffins



***I feel as though this week's recipes have been inspired by the classic children's book "Each Peach Pear Plum". ***

Whole Wheat Pear Muffins - Recipe

2 cups fresh or canned pears, drained
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 lightly beaten egg
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup whole/homo milk
1 tbsp. orange zest

Preheat the oven to 350F. Puree the pears in a food processor. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sugar with a spoon or whisk. In a large bowl, beat the egg, oil, orange zest and milk with an electric mixer until just combined. Stir the peach puree into the egg mixture, then add the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

Makes approximately 6 muffins

Whole Wheat Peach Muffins - Recipe

2 cups stewed or canned peaches, drained
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 lightly beaten egg
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup whole/homo milk

Preheat the oven to 350F. Puree the peaches in a food processor. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar with a spoon or whisk. In a large bowl, beat the egg, oil, and milk with an electric mixer until just combined. Stir the peach puree into the egg mixture, then add the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

Makes approximately 6 muffins

*For an extra healthy and delicious treat or breakfast, try having one of these muffins with some cottage cheese. The tastes will compliment one another well and you'll get a great meal of fruits, whole grains, protein, dairy and a little fat. Now that's a tasty and well balanced way to start your day!*

Gluten-Free Strawberries & Honey Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup gluten-free icing sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 tbsp. potato flour
1 3/4 cups white rice flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. guar gum OR xanthan gum
1 cup strawberries, chopped


1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine all the cupcake ingredients (except for the strawberries) in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries 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. Remove pans from the oven and cool for 30 minutes.

For the topping:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. gluten-free icing sugar
2 tbsp. honey1 tsp. vanilla extract
18 small strawberries, whole
2-3 drops red food coloring, if desired

2. Beat the cream, icing sugar, honey and vanilla (and red food color drops, if desired) in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Spoon onto the cupcakes and top with a whole strawberry. Brush each strawberry with additional honey using a pastry brush. Chill until ready to serve. Store covered in the fridge.

Makes approximately 18 cupcakes

Cupcake Tour of North America - Kara's Cupcakes

Hello Darlings,
I'm back home, safe and sound.

So, last you checked in I was telling you about my trip to Vancouver and Cupcakes... well once I left Vancouver, I took a quick trip south to San Francisco. I was dying to try 'That Takes The Cake' but low and behold they were closed on the days I was in San Fran... needless to say, I was quite sad... luckily I stumbled across another cupcake shop and a smile came back to my face when I saw the words 'organic cupcakes'!

If you haven't been following me for long, you may not know how much I love the health food store. No, I'm not a freak about what I eat, I eat take-out and 'normal' food, but I love the special diet variations and organic offerings the health for store has waiting. I often bake gluten-free and lactose free treats, and don't include nasty chemicals, (like red dyes) in my baking. I would rather have a few extra calories and know I'm eating real sugar and farm fresh butter than take in the endless chemicals and damages of sugar substitutes that are deemed unsafe for pregnant women and fat substitutes in margarine if I can have the choice. Ok, jumping down off my soap box.

While in San Francisco I had to make a trip to the famous Ghiradelli Square. A bright outdoor shopping area with some sweet offerings. Upstairs and right in the center of the square is Kara's Cupcakes. A little pink cupcake shoppe that bakes almost entirely organic cupcakes.

They offer a selection of about 12 cupcakes each day, and they are nicely displayed in a lit, below counter, windowed section.

Sweet and simple cupcakes with great flavors like Smores, Key Lime Pie and Chocolate Velvet. The shop is clean and simple with a few chairs and counter seating, they serve cupcakes, water, milk and coffee. But what else do you really need? For my first trip here (yes I said first) I got chocolate velvet, a chocolate cupcake with velvety bitter sweet chocolate buttercream rolled in chocolate bits and passion fruit, a vanilla cupcake with passion fruit filling and vanilla buttercream topped with what appears to be a signature kara's fondant flower.

The chocolate cake was moist and moderately dense, just perfect. The chocolate buttercream was light and truly velvety and the chocolate (no doubt ghiradelli) sprinkles it was rolled in added that extra touch of bittersweet chocolate that I love. The passion fruit...OH MY GOD! To DIE for!!! The vanilla cupcake was sweet and sumptuous, really moist and creamy. The passion fruit filling really packed a punch, but was just a squirt, so it wasn't overwhelming. The vanilla buttercream was so light and so buttery with a sweet hint of real vanilla. Best buttercream I have ever tasted, EVER! The cute little flower on top was a light citrusy fondant that was actually enjoyable to eat. So good, I had to go back.

And so, two days later, I did just that. And this time, the place was packed. A line up right out the door. My first time through I had my eye on these...

Raspberry Dazzle, a chocolate cupcake with raspberry cream filling and raspberry buttercream. Sadly by the time it was my turn to order, they were all gone (dag nabit)! So I looked through the other options and chose Meyer Lemony Lemon... a vanilla cupcake with lemon curd filling and lemon buttercream. Again, incredibly delicious. I think if Kara's came to Toronto I would be a very chubby bunny...and likely their best customer. As you might have guessed, although I did not get a chance to taste any other cupcakes in San Francisco, I highly recommend, if you are in the area to go to Kara's Cupcakes. I will forewarn that the cupcakes are 3.25 each...but they are so worth it. I will admit, as much as I love cupcakes, I often find it hard to eat a whole cupcake at once. I'm more of a mini cupcake person myself. But I easily downed these cupcakes in a few minutes. NOM NOM NOM.

Down to the review part. I give Kara's 5 out of 5 (bet you didn't see that coming, haha).
Yes the price was a little high, but such is the way of the world right now when you want fresh organic, healthy ingredients. The recipes I'm sure are old fashioned, something your grandma would have kept in her recipe box, but with modern twists like salted caramel cupcakes. Oh dear, I'm drooling on my keyboard again... I applaud you Kara. Your cupcakes are delicious, simple but interesting flavors, simple but sweet and classic decorations and organic wholesome ingredients. Well done!

On a personal note, for my dear friends in Toronto, I'm giving up my space and will be back home for a while until I can find a more central location. I'm sorry for any inconvenience or further drives this may cause, but I promise it is not permanent or long term. Since I will be leaving the city soon, I'm going to try and stop into a cupcake shop in my (soon to be) former neighborhood and let you know what's happening in the cupcake world downtown.

I hope you've enjoyed traveling with me, and maybe you'll get a chance to try out some of these cupcakes yourself. If you've been to Kara's cupcakes, tell me what you thought of their product!

Until next time,
Happy baking, caking and decorating!

Love and sprinkles, xoxo