Independence Day Cupcakes

A light fluffy cupcake filled with cool vanilla pudding offers a light alternative to a traditional cupcake. Substitute applesauce for a healthy alternative to shortening.

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup vegetable shortening

• 3 egg whites

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup milk

• 1 (1 ounce) package instant sugar-free vanilla pudding mix

• 2 cups skim milk

• 1 (7 ounce) container light whipped cream

• 12 thinly sliced strawberries, or as needed

• 24 fresh blueberries

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

• Step 2

  With a pastry cutter, chop the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture becomes crumbly, then beat in the egg whites, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of milk to make a smooth batter. Spoon batter into the paper-lined cupcake cups, filling them about 2/3 full.

• Step 3

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 22 to 26 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.

• Step 4

  In a bowl, beat together the pudding mix and 2 cups of skim milk until the pudding is thickened, about 2 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes to finish thickening. Spoon the pudding into a pastry bag with a medium tip.

• Step 5

  To fill and decorate cupcakes, use a thin paring knife to cut a small hole, about 1/2 inch in diameter, into the top of a cupcake. Insert the knife about 3/4 of the way down into the cupcake, and remove the core. Use the pastry bag to fill the hole with pudding, piping in enough pudding to fill the hole flush with the top of the cupcake. Frost the tops of the filled cupcakes with light whipped cream, spreading it into a smooth layer.

• Step 6

  Place a blueberry in the center of each cupcake. Around the blueberry, arrange 5 slices of strawberry, pointed ends outward, to make a star shape. Store in refrigerator.

Crispy Peach Cobbler

This crispy peach cobbler recipe is a delightful summer dessert that will surely impress your family and friends. The combination of juicy fresh peaches with a crispy, buttery topping creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures. This recipe is simple to make and requires just a few basic ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. Whether enjoyed warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cold from the fridge the next day, this crispy peach cobbler is sure to become a favorite in your home.

Ingredients

• 6 large fresh peaches, pitted and cut into eighths

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

Batter:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 ¼ cups white sugar

• 1 ⅓ cups self-rising flour

• ⅓ cup rolled oats

• ⅔ cup whole milk

Glaze:

• ¼ cup white sugar

• 2 tablespoons cold water, or as needed to wet topping sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a baking sheet on the rack under the middle rack to catch drips. Generously butter a 2-inch deep (2-quart) baking dish.

2. Place peach sections into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice and zest.

3. Stir butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Mix until creamed and resembles a sugary, buttery paste, 4 to 5 minutes. Add oats and flour; stir until flour and oats are incorporated into the butter-sugar mixture and mixture resembles coarse crumbs, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in milk; stir until mixture is wet and creamy, like a thick spreadable batter, 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Drop batter by spoonful on top of the peaches. Spread batter evenly over the surface of the peaches. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar on the batter. Spritz with water until sugar is wet and surface glistens.

5. Bake in preheated oven on middle rack until browned and crispy, about 45 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

Rhubarb Crumble Bars

Fresh rhubarb season is nearly here. This zingy recipe is sure to wake up your tastebuds from their winter slumber.

Ingredients

Filling:

• ⅓ cup water

• ¼ cup white sugar

• 3 cups chopped rhubarb

Topping:

• ½ cup old-fashioned oats

• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 4 teaspoons pure maple syrup, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted

Crust:

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cashew milk, room temperature

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 4 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8x4-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

• Step 2

  Mix water and sugar in a deep saucepan, making sure sugar is completely mixed in. Bring to a low boil over medium heat. Stir in rhubarb and let simmer, uncovered, until rhubarb becomes mushy, about 10 minutes. Add a couple tablespoons water if needed to help soften. Remove from heat and set rhubarb aside in a bowl.

• Step 3

  Stir oats, whole wheat flour, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the oat mixture. Pour in maple syrup and butter; stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Set topping aside.

• Step 4

  Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt for crust together in a small bowl.

• Step 5

  Whisk cashew milk, butter, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Stir in sugar. Pour into crust flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated.

• Step 6

  Press crust into the bottom of the prepared pan using a spatula; wet your spatula with water to prevent sticking. Spread rhubarb filling evenly over the crust. Sprinkle oat topping mixture on top of rhubarb.

• Step 7

  Bake in the preheated oven until juices are bubbling and crust is golden, 15 to 19 minutes. Let cool completely to room temperature in the pan. Let bars rest for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

A lemon pound cake made with yogurt instead of sour cream.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, room temperature

• 2 cups white sugar

• 3 eggs, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon lemon extract

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 (8 ounce) container lemon flavored yogurt

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.

• Step 2

  Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat one egg at a time into the butter mixture; add lemon extract with last egg.

• Step 3

  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Alternately mix in the flour mixture and the yogurt, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat just until incorporated.

• Step 4

  Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

This autumn-inspired take on banana bread is fitting for the first day of Autumn. Happy fall everyone!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• 1 cup light brown sugar

• 1 cup butter, melted

• 2 eggs

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3 cups pumpkin puree

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Step 2

  Mix white sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter together in a large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract; mix in pumpkin until thoroughly combined.

• Step 3

  Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and salt together in a separate bowl. Mix flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until incorporated. Pour batter into three 5x9-inch loaf pans. Smooth batter evenly in each pan.

• Step 4

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice

This will make enough for one recipe of pumpkin pie. But you could increase amounts to keep a mix on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Store in an airtight container.