Apple Cider Doughnuts

Perfect for the holiday season along with some hot apple cider or a cup of joe!

Apple Cider Doughnuts
adapted from Feastie

2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 large egg
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. apple butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c. honey
1/3 c. apple cider
1/3 c. plain yogurt
2 Tbsp canola oil
canola cooking spray
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon (for topping)

Preheat oven to 400 and spray doughnut pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  In another bowl whisk together the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, apple butter, yogurt, and oil.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together until just incorporated.  

Fill mold 2/3 full with dough.  I used a spoon as the dough is a bit thick to make sure it filled in the doughnut shape.

Bake for 10 minutes and let cool on wire rack.

Mix the 1tbsp cinnamon with 1/4 c. sugar in bowl. 

Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the doughnuts with the butter, then dip into bowl with cinnamon sugar mixture until the top is coated.  

Enjoy while they are warm!

Apple Peanut Butter

This is a delicious easy to make spread perfect for toast or top on sweet treats!

Apple Peanut Butter by Oh She Glows

I used homemade apple butter and store bought peanut butter.
First to make the apple butter...
You'll need about 6 apples.  I used different kinds; washington, golden delicious, and fiji.
I left the skin on and cut into snack sized slices.  Place apple slices in crock pot on high for about 4 hours.
After 4 hours the the apples should be soft and easily 'smushed.'  Mash up the apples until it has an apple sauce consistency.  I had to put them in a food processor to really get them to the right consistency.
Put 'sauce' back in crock pot and mix in a teaspoon of cinnamon and cook on low heat for another 30-45 minutes.  You can add sugar, or brown sugar for extra sweetness but I liked the natural sweetness of just the apples with cinnamon.
Thats it!

Once you have your apple butter add some peanut butter, store bought or home made and mix together.  Apple peanut butter will keep for about 10 days.

Congratulation Cupcakes

For Thanksgiving this year, I wanted to make something special for my mom after completing her surgery and treatment for breast cancer.  After all that she's been through this year I just wanted to make her a special treat!

Strawberry Champagne Cupacakes with Strawberry Compote and Buttercream Frosting

Cupcakes
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh strawberries
3 eggs
1 cup extra-dry champagne
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup vegetable oil


Strawberry Compote
1 lb. chopped strawberries
1/4 c. sugar
Piping bag for filling cupcakes

Buttercream Frosting
1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons Champagne, or 1 tablespoon Champagne flavoring

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bow. In another medium bowl or stand mixer combine eggs, butter, oil, and champagne until combined. Add the dry ingredient to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Fill the cupcakes liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 20 minutes.

For the compote place a couple handfuls of chopped strawberries into a pan with 1/4 c. sugar and cook on medium-low heat until the strawberries are broken down and the mixture has become more like a jelly. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag. 

Let the cupcakes cool, then cut a small X on top of the cakes. Use the medium nozzel and fill the cakes with the compote. Mine got blocked up a bit so i put the compote into my food processor and pulsed a few times. Now time to frost!

For the frosting use an electric mixer and whip the butter until creamed. Add the powdered sugar and champagne and mix until combined with creamy texture. I used some red food coloring to make mine breast cancer pink!