Cup-Caking is a Verb

Ever since receiving Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World earlier this month, I've basically been a cup o' cake maniac.

Our neighbors look hungry for cupcakes, don't they?

Adam's lab-mates really like lemon desserts. Maybe I should make them some cupcakes?

We don't celebrate trash day enough. Bring on the cupcakes!

And finally, the best and most ultimate excuse to bake these pint-sized desserts: a baby shower.

Baby showers are filled with pastel colors, lots of booties, and plenty of cheesy games. It's high time we add cupcakes into the mix. And since I'm planning a March baby shower for my pal Liz, I made an executive decision to feature a cupcake buffet at this baby-lovin' event.

This means I'll have to do some dreaded prep-work: you know, recipe-testing, baking, and tasting lots of cupcakes. It's such a hard life, isn't it?

I used the basics from my new cupcake bible to create a Pumpkin-Pecan Cupcake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting this weekend. Results were overwhelmingly positive, including a unanimous "yes" to be included in the March cupcake buffet.

So let's get cup-caking my friends. Because if "cup-caking" wasn't a verb before, it most certainly is now.

Pumpkin-Pecan Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

(inspired by the lovely ladies of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)

These cupcakes are so moist and tender, and cinnamon cream cheese frosting is simply essential. This miniature dessert would make the perfect addition to your fall party spread...or a March baby shower :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 TBSP nonfat vanilla yogurt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk (I used skim)
• 1 - 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 - 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• Extra pecan halves for garnish

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup cream cheese (I used 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese)
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 - 2 TBSP milk, if needed

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2) In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin, oil, yogurt sugar, milk, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients with a spoon until well-combined. Fold in chopped pecans.

3) Fill cupcake liners two thirds full and bake for 22 - 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

4) To prepare frosting: Beat the butter cream cheese together. Add the vanilla and cinnamon. Beat in the confectioner's sugar in 1/2 cup increments. Add milk and/or more sugar to reach desired consistency. Frost cupcakes, and top each with a pecan half.

Cornmeal Pecan Muffins

Friends, I'm heading to the great state of New York for the remainder of the week. We're attending a family wedding, and since Adam will be rocking the Groomsman role, we need to arrive a few days early for the pre-wedding festivities (read: fellowship + beverage of choice).

Sadly, I won't be cooking or baking again until Sunday. I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with Adam's family though, as well as embarking on a scavenger hunt...to find vegetarian food in Buffalo, NY.

(While Buffalo is famous for many food specialties--super hot wings, jumbo pizzas, and softball-sized meatballs--I've heard that vege-head food is not exactly a city favorite.)

I plan on taking the city by storm. Painting it red. And spreading vegetarian love over it like a spoonful of hummus.

Until my return, I'll leave you with a fantastic recipe for Cornmeal Pecan Muffins. I adapted Monet's recipe, and absolutely loved them. How much did I love them? My intention was to bake the whole batch for my sister and her boyfriend. In reality, I ended up plating half for my sister...and half for the Hungry Spoon kitchen.

One more thing: Many thanks to Lisa and Cynthia for tagging me with the Stylish Blog Award. I'm honored to be mentioned by both of these snazzy ladies! In keeping the with Stylish Blog tradition, I'd like to call out the following stylish food blogs I love:

All Kinds of Hungry

Anecdotes and Apple Cores
Baking Serendipity
Beth's Journey to Thin
Cilantropist
Gingerbread Bagels
Girl Paraphernalia
I Heart Vegetables
Keep n' the Faith
Peas and Crayons

Cornmeal Pecan Muffins
(adapted from Monet's recipe at Anecdotes and Apple Cores)

If heaven took the form of a corn muffin, this would be it. You can use sour cream in place of the yogurt if you'd like...and please don't forget to toast the pecans! It adds an un-beatable flavor.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 - 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
  
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt (I used nonfat)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners (or coat with cooking spray).

2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal , baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well-combined. Stir in the butter, yogurt, and milk and gently stir until thoroughly combined. Fold in toasted pecans.

3) Spoon batter into muffin cups (mine made 12 muffins, plus 3 extra muffins). Bake for 17 - 19 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. Serve warm with butter. And be sure to give at least half to your sister :)

Marvelous Mud Pie Brownies

When it comes to birthdays, I'm a firm believer that brownies are the best way to celebrate.

And not just any brownie. We're talking Brownies Gone Wild.

How wild? Try Mud Pie Brownies: Gooey brownie, with a layer of toasted marshmallow, followed by a layer of fudge frosting, topped with toasted pecans.

Oh yes I did.

I know it's January. And I'm fully aware that it's the "Week o' Resolutions." I know you're all swearing off sugar, committing to a revitalized exercise plan, and kicking your butter-lovin' habits once and for all.

But in the midst of all the New Year's Resolution hype, my friend Alli celebrated her 27th birthday this week. And birthdays require brownies. More specifically, they require fudgy, gooey, Mud Pie Brownies that just plain rock my chocolate-loving soul.

So, eat some quinoa. Dine on some roasted red pepper soup. Satisfy that butternut squash craving.

And then, bake some bodacious birthday brownies...and enjoy.

Mud Pie Brownies

(adapted from this recipe at the Taste of Home community forum)

Adam proclaimed that these are "heaven on brownie Earth." Not sure it makes sense, but the point was clear: These brownies are incredible--especially the homemade fudge icing (it literally tastes like the marshmallow cream Fantasy Fudge recipe).

Brownie Ingredients:

• 1 cup of butter (oh, yes!)
• 4 oz. chopped unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
• about 3 cups mini marshmallows

Chocolate Fudge Frosting Recipe

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2) Melt butter and chocolate together in a double boiler. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (about 5 min). Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt, and beat in the chocolate mixture. Beat in eggs and vanilla and pour into prepared pan.

3) Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows on top and return to oven for about 2 minutes, or until brownies are cooked through (toothpick comes out clean of brownie crumb, but obviously there will be marshmallow goo on there!).

4) Meanwhile, prepare the frosting so that it can be poured on the warm brownies. When brownies are done, pour frosting over the warm brownies and sprinkle with pecans. Allow to cool completely! (resist the urge to cut while warm).

5) Package 'em up for the birthday girl (or boy!).

Nuts for Sugared Pecans

Forget sugar plums.

It's all about the sugared pecans.

Warning: This is quite possibly one of the most addictive holiday snacks out there. I generally eat my weight in them during the month of December. No worries though: January was designed to make up for all of the December indiscretions.

Your stomach may cry out for you to stop the overload of cookies and fudge, but it will never turn away the satisfying crunch and sweet n' salty balance of a sugar-coated pecan.

As you're making your list of what to bake for who this season, consider these thoughts on sugared pecans:

• They're the perfect gift for someone with gluten-intolerance. It's easy for folks with Celiac Disease to feel left out of the seasonal fun, what with all the flour-heavy baked treats. Sugared pecans will surely bring a smile to their face.
• Consider adding these crunchy little gems to a gift for the gourmet beer-lover in your life. Fill an empty basket from the attic with select beers, a bag of sugared pecans, and a bag of homemade snack mix.
• They're also packaged beautifully in clean, empty jam or nut butter jars.
• They make a great stocking stuffer--just wrap them in a clear cellophane bag with some ribbon and raffia.

Can you tell I'm just nutty for this snack?

Sugared Pecans

(adapted from this recipe at Allrecipes.com)

Whether you're making these as a gift, or just for your awesome self, I promise you won't regret it. Promise.

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 1 TBSP vanilla
• 1 pound pecan halves (I actually mixed a handful of whole almonds into this batch as well)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2) In a large bowl, whip the egg whites and vanilla until frothy. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

3) Add the pecans to the egg white mixture and stir until coated. Coat the nuts with the sugar mixture until evenly-covered. Place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for approximately one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

4) Package 'em up and send 'em out. But not before you eat a few...handfuls.

Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie

Friends, I wait all year to make this pie.

All. year.

Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie: The ultimate in Thanksgiving decadence.

This pie is so divine that I'm continually amazed at just how easy it is to make: Spread chocolate and pecans in pie shell. Mix sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Pour liquid into pie shell. Bake. Eat. Hide the rest from your family. (Oops! Did I just say that out loud?).

As a quick side note, I should mention that I had never tasted any version of pecan pie until I was in graduate school and first experimented with baking and cooking. Pumpkin was the prevailing T-Day sweet in our house, with the apple pie making an occasional cameo appearance. My mom probably feared that baking one of these babies would foster a dangerous addiction that I would never shake.

I first stumbled upon a recipe for Pecan Pie in Cooking Light magazine--it was for a "lighter" Oatmeal Pecan Pie. After baking it in the pitiful mini-kitchenette of my one room apartment at the time, I instantly became a believer in the Pie o' Pecans. While the light version I initially made was a wonderful and tasty starting point, I've since learned that adding more calories in the name of dessert decadence never hurt anyone. In fact, in only brings happiness, right?

Thus, I've recently turned to Emeril Lagasse's recipe for Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie. It's simple, rich, and turns out perfectly every time. It's literally a fail-proof pie. I use my perfect pie crust recipe from NPR's The Splendid Table, but feel free to cut time and use a pre-made crust if needed.

I topped this guy with a dollop of fresh whipped cream...you know, to cut the sweetness :)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! What's your favorite T-Day dish?

Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie

(recipe from the Food Network's Emeril Lagasse)

Impress the family with this perfect pecan pie at your Thanksgiving table. Or Christmas table. Or July 4th table. Or random Tuesday-I'm-Hungry--for-Pie table. Remember: I wait all. year. long. to make this delectable dessert.

Ingredients:

• 1 - 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 unbaked pie shell (I use Lynne Rossetto Kasper's perfect pie crust recipe from NPR's "The Splendid Table")
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• a dash of salt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Evenly spread chocolate chips and pecans in the bottom of the pie shell.

3) In a bowl, whisk the eggs, sugars, corn syrup and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 50 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool completely before cutting and serving (I recommend making this pie the night before serving).

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

I love election days.

I'm allowed this one day, each year, to wear my awesome feminist voting T-shirt. I've rocked this shirt for my first 8 years as a voting citizen, and I certainly hope I'm still donning it on election day when I'm 55 years old.

I know: I'm a total nerd. But I'm okay with that.

As an adult, I now have one more reason to love election days: a day off work! Election day is a University holiday here, so Adam and I have the day off to galavant around town and have some work-free fun.

To celebrate our mid-week holiday, Pumpkin-Pecan Pancakes were in order. Holy Moly these puppies were good. I enjoyed mine with a little maple syrup, but I imagine a dollop of pumpkin butter would be equally as tasty if you have some on hand.

Similar to the other P-cakes we make, these guys are dense, filling, and virtually fat free (well, they're completely fat free if you omit the pecans). We don't mess around with the "light n' fluffy" pancake business around here. It's a fiber-licious breakfast world at our kitchen table.

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

(adapted from Nava Atlas' recipe in The Vegetarian Family Cookbook)

Good morning, Autumn sunshine! Nothing beats spiced pumpkin-pecan pancakes on a cool November morning. With flax seed, pecans, and pumpkin puree, these hot-cakes are a nutritional powerhouse in the breakfast world.

Ingredients:

• 1 - 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (you can sub in part whole wheat flour )desired)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2/3 tsp. baking soda
• 2 TBSP ground flaxseed
• 1 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• about 1 TBSP cinnamon (yep, it's a lot! you can add your cinnamon to taste)
• a sprinkling of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans

Directions:

1) Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Gently fold in wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in chopped pecans

2) Heat griddle to 350 degrees and coat well with cooking spray. Pour pancake batter on griddle (each pancake was about 1/3 cup of batter). Cook for approximately 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.