Caramel Apple Cake

Today is my last day of school this week!!! Plus, it's a test day!  I know...I'm a little evil.  I'm a math teacher and I'm excited about giving a test.  Actually, I'm really excited about this test because my students are going to do amazing on it and that is pretty awesome.

I'm also pumped because after school I am leaving for NYC with my family!  We are DRIVING there.  So, if we don't kill each other, by Wednesday night, we will be in NYC to meet up with my little brother and the University of Illinois Marching Band.  My brother is a proud member of this band and they are performing in the Macy's Day Parade on Thanksgiving!! How cool is that?

I'm excited to go to New York, see my New York family and see the Macy's Day Parade in person for the first time.  It is going to be so fun.

To celebrate, I'm sharing a cake!  This Caramel Apple Cake was inspired by the Brown Eyed Baker.  I made it for the ladies of my book club and they thought it was one of the best cakes they had ever had.  I made my cake with two layers of apple spice cake and then spread some "to die for" cinnamon, caramel cream cheese frosting over the whole thing.  Finally, I topped it off with some fresh slices of a granny smith apple.  YUM!  This dessert is super tasty and it is a great option for a Thanksgiving dessert that celebrates fall flavors.

Caramel Apple Cake

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 cups unsweetened, plain applesauce
Frosting:
12 oz light cream cheese
1 cup unsalted butter
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp caramel sauce
1-2 tsp heavy cream (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line two 9 inch circular cake pans with parchment paper.  Grease generously.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar for a few minutes.  Beat until it is light and fluffy.  Beat in both eggs until well combined.
4. Alternate adding the flour mixture with the applesauce mixture to the butter and sugar.  Start and end with the flour. Divide the batter into the two prepared pans. Bake for 55-60 minutes.  Let cool completely.
5. To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese together until well combined.  Add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until you have a desired taste and consistency.  Add in the cinnamon and caramel sauce and beat well.  Add in the cream if needed.
6. Once your cake is totally cooled, you can spread a layer of frosting over the top of one layer and the place the other layer on top.  Frosting completely and top with some apple slices.

Enjoy :)

Skinny Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Chocolate Ganache

I can't believe it is already Monday again!

My half marathon training continued this week with a 4 mile run Monday, 3 mile run Tuesday, 4.5 mile run Wednesday, rest on Thursday, 3 miles on Friday, and then 7.5 on Saturday! Sunday was all about cross-training and I am still feeling great.  I got a little nervous on Friday when my foot was hurting for a bit, but after some nice stretching, I ended up being just fine.

Along with all this, I had a super fun weekend! On Friday, I saw a movie with my friend Lauren and then skyped our friend Caryn! It was so great to see her.  She if off being a grown-up in DC and it was fun to hear about her life and all that was going on.  Then, I went out with friends on Saturday and had one of the most fun nights ever.  Finally, on Sunday, I watched the Badger basketball game, baked with Tamara, and then made dinner and watched tv. It was a great time and I am pretty overwhelmed that we are back at another Monday.  Fortunately, I spent a lot of time planning on Friday and Sunday and feel totally ready to take on another week!

I also have a great recipe to share today! I made my Skinny Chocolate Cupcakes and Whipped Chocolate Ganache and had some awesome cupcakes.  They are light cakes with rich frosting, just how it should be.

Skinny Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 cup hot coffee
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup skim milk
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 4 oz package instant chocolate pudding
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp espresso powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt
For the Frosting:
1 cup heavy cream
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 and prepare 2 12-cup cupcake pans.
2. Heat up coffee and stir in cocoa powder until combined.  Stir in milk and vanilla.  Set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, espresso powder, and pudding mix.
4. In a large bowl, beat sugar with canola oil and applesauce.  Beat in egg and egg whites until well combined.  Alternate adding in the dry ingredients and the coffee mixture, starting with the dry and ending with the dry.  Mix until just combined.  Stir in the greek yogurt.
5. Fill cupcake wells about 3/4 full and bake for about 20 minutes.  Let cool.
6. Make the frosting: microwave the cream for about 3 minutes or until just about boiling.  Place chocolate chips in a bowl and pour hot cream over the chocolate chips.  Let sit for 30 seconds and then stir until combined and melted.  Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.  Mix ganache mixture with vanilla until stiff peaks start to form.  Frost cupcakes.

Enjoy :)

Honey Wheat Cakes with Brown Butter Honey Glaze

I made these amazing little honey cakes for my study night this week.  Rosh Hashanah is coming up on Sunday and I wanted to bring a dessert that really celebrates that holiday!  Honey was on my mind because you eat honey on this holiday to celebrate having a sweet new year! I have a lot of sweet things going on in my life right now (including these mini cakes!) and I can't wait to see what this next "new" year has to bring!

Mini Honey Cakes with Browned Butter Honey Glaze (adapted from Pastry Affair)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup skim milk
2/3 cup non-fat greek yogurt (I used Plain Chobani)
Glaze:
3 tsp honey
1 tsp butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease some cupcake pans.  This recipe will make about 24 mini cakes.
2. In a large bowl, beat the oil, applesauce, and sugar together until well combined.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.  Then, beat in the vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together.  Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.  Stir in the milk and yogurt. Pour batter into prepared pans filling each hole about 1/2-2/3 full.  Bake for about 18 minutes.
4.  While cupcakes are baking, make the glaze.  Place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Swirl butter around until completely melted and then continue to swirl until butter browns and smells fragrant.  Pour butter into a small bowl and whisk in the honey.  Drizzle glaze over the warm cupcakes!
Enjoy :)

It's time for another Foodie Friends Friday! Last week these three lucky winners won an adorable towel from Bazor Designs:

The Meltaways Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Earning My Cape Microwave Dried Fruit

Slice of Southern Pineapple Grilled Pork

And here are the winner's from last week's party!

#1 Top Voted AND Most Clicked:

Hun What's For Dinner Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Loaf

#2 Top Voted AND Most Clicked:

Cozy Cakes Cottage Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

#3 Top Voted:

Jenmi Jenmi Chocolate Chip Cream Pie

#3 Most Clicked:

One Creative Procrastinating Gal 3 in 1 Meal

This week is sponsored by Miss Macie and one lucky winner will win this gorgeous ring!

But first, here are this week's co-hosts:

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar  http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/  

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade  http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Ericka at Chef Picky Kid  http://www.chefpickykid.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.blogspot.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

Amber at http://www.mamasblissfulbites.com/

One more thing: The Rules

Step 1: Make sure that anything you link up is:

• A recipe that is made and photographed by you
• Not part of a sponsorship/sales/giveaway or other promotions/linky parties
• Linked to a specific page of your recipe, not your homepage
• Please limit your link-ups to 3 per party

Step 2:

• Show some love and link back to my blog and Foodie Friends Friday (http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com)  on the post of the recipe you are submitting. For example: This recipe is featured on "Host Blog Link" and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com Linky Party

If you want to be the very best Foodie Friend Ever...

• Grab our button at  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com and put it on your page and share Foodie Friends Friday! 
• Take some time and check out other submitted links and the blogs of all our gracious hosts
• Come on over and "like" us on Facebook www.facebook.com/foodiefriendsfriday

Step 3: Come back on Sunday and vote for your favorite recipes by clicking on the star  under the recipe.  You only get 3 Votes so use them wisely!

***Please note that by linking up your recipe you are agreeing to allow Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications to use photos/links/recipes for any reprint, republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you.  If photos/recipes are used, proper credit and link backs will be included. 

Foodie Friends Friday: Bazordesigns

This Friday is very exciting for a bunch of reasons! First, this week was my first week of student teaching!  Second, this is my first week participating in Foodie Friends Friday!

I also made these awesome cupcakes!!!

I found the recipe over at Cooking Classy and I have to send her a HUGE thank you because these cupcakes were great! They are applesauce spice cupcakes and they are super yummy.  Then I made some cream cheese frosting to slather on top!  Everyone loved them and I thought they were great.  I am wondering if I could pass them off as a muffin if I nix the frosting or substitute the butter for yogurt/oil or something.  Anyways, they were great and you should all make them!

Applesauce Spice Cupcakes (adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain applesauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
For the Frosting:
8 oz low-fat cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line/grease a cupcake pan (you will make about 24).
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and both sugars on high until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and then slowly mix in the applesauce.
3.  In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.  Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and beat until just combined.
4. Fill each cupcake well about 1/2-2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely.
5. Make the frosting: beat all the ingredients until light and fluffy.  Add in more sugar for a more dense consistency or add in milk for a more creamy texture.  Frost the cupcakes!

Enjoy :)

I am so excited to be participating in my first Foodie Friends Friday! I am a huge fan of this group and it is so fun to connect with other food bloggers and discover fun recipes.  Plus, there's giveaways! It can't get much better than that!

This week is sponsored by bazordesigns and you can win an adorable towel! You can find this great Lemon Kitchen Towel on Etsy.  Three randomly picked links will win one! 

But first, here are this week's co-hosts:

Foodie Friends Friday http://ww.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar  http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/  

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

Keira at Luscious Delights www.lusciousdelights.blogspot.com.au

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade  http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Ericka at Chef Picky Kid  http://www.chefpickykid.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.blogspot.com

Skye at A Virtual Essence http://www.avirtualessence.blogspot.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

One more thing: The Rules

Step 1: Make sure that anything you link up is:

• A recipe that is made and photographed by you
• Not part of a sponsorship/sales/giveaway or other promotions/linky parties
• Linked to a specific page of your recipe, not your homepage
• Please limit your link-ups to 3 per party

Step 2:

• Show some love and link back to my blog and Foodie Friends Friday (http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com)  on the post of the recipe you are submitting. For example: This recipe is featured on "Host Blog Link" and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com Linky Party

If you want to be the very best Foodie Friend Ever...

• Grab our button at  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com and put it on your page and share Foodie Friends Friday! 
• Take some time and check out other submitted links and the blogs of all our gracious hosts
• Come on over and "like" us on Facebook www.facebook.com/foodiefriendsfriday

Step 3: Come back on Sunday and vote for your favorite recipes by clicking on the star  under the recipe.  You only get 3 Votes so use them wisely!

***Please note that by linking up your recipe you are agreeing to allow Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications to use photos/links/recipes for any reprint, republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you.  If photos/recipes are used, proper credit and link backs will be included. 

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Yesterday was my Mommy's birthday!

I really wanted to do something special for her and so I decided to make her favorite cupcakes in cake form!  Her favorite cupcakes are my Skinny Mocha Cupcakes.  She just loves that the cake is "healthy" and the frosting, well, mocha is one of her favorite flavors! Typically, her birthday cake is an ice cream cake with coffee ice cream, but I wanted this year to be a little more special.

I used the same Skinny Mocha Cupcake recipe, but make 3, 8 in. cakes, and then layered them up with some amazing mocha buttercream.

So pretty! Usually, the treats I make are not the most aesthetically pleasing, but  really loved how this turned out!

Three layers of amazing chocolate cake and mocha buttercream! It was the perfect cake for my mom and she loved it!  Happy Birthday Mommy!!! I love you!

This post is featured on Foodie Friends Friday

On the Side: Pommes Dauphinois, Herbed Carrots, and More!

This weekend was really great and I can't believe it's already Monday again! From the Taste of Chicago, to a fun Girl's Night Sleepover, to a cute Birthday Brunch, this weekend was just plain awesome.  Al Pal's bday brunch was really cute and I made my Strawberry Cake, but instead of just strawberries, I did strawberries and raspberries! It was really yummy and perfect as a "Breakfast" Cake.

I'd like to give a huge shout out to the Awkward Kitchenette for giving me another award! She gave me the Awesome Blogger award and I am so honored! Her site is so fun to read and her recipes are always really great! Thank you so much!

Also, it's monday so it's time for another Half Marathon update.  This week and next week are all about tapering off a bit before the big race.  I am not actually signed up for a race at this point as I was going to do one in Madison, but the timing didn't work out.  My brother is moving to college that weekend and I am going to be helping with that.  So, I am just going to map out my own! I think this will be good for me as a first "race" since races tend to stress me out a little and I get all nervous.  This week I did 2 4 mile runs, a 5 mile run, and a 9 mile run.  Yesterday, Bri and I even worked out together at the gym (a first!) and it was nice to have him there to chat with! I am looking into registering for an actual race, but I'm not sure which one to do! Any suggestions for good half marathons in the midwest?

And of course, I have the sides to share from The Dinner Party! Chris decided that the perfect thing to accompany the Boeuf would be some simple potatoes and carrots and I totally agree.  They were great additions to the meal, but they were also simple to make and did not overshadow the amazing main entrees.

Pommes Dauphinois (Scalloped Potatoes with Milk, Cheese, and a Pinch of Garlic)

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (we used a food processor to get perfectly thin slices)
1 clove garlic, halved
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
1 cup milk, boiling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 and rub a casserole dish with the halved garlic.  Smear 1 tbsp of butter over the inside of the casserole dish.
2. Peel and slice the potatoes and place in a large bowl of water.  Drain when ready to use.
3.  Spread half of the dried potatoes in the casserole dish.  Sprinkle half the cheese, salt, pepper, and butter over them.  Place the rest of the potatoes on top and then the rest of the cheese, salt, pepper, and butter.  Pour the boiling milk over the entire dish.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, milk is absorbed and cheese is nicely browned.
Enjoy :)

Herbed Carrots

Ingredients:
2 lbs. carrots
olive oil
herbs de provence
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Peel and wash carrots and place in a casserole dish.  Toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the carrots and season with herbs de provence, salt, and pepper to taste. Bake in the oven until carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.
Enjoy :)

Baked Wonton Appetizers

This is officially one of my favorite go-to appetizers!  My mom had a ton of extra wonton wrappers from my brother's graduation party.  We bought WAY too many.  So she froze a bunch of them and then I found some great ideas over at Ashlee's blog. I absolutely love Ashlee's blog, ABPetite!  She always has great ideas and this post gave me some great ideas for what to do with wontons! My mom didn't want to fry anything and we needed a good appetizer for a little weeknight get-together with some friends.  These were perfect!

I made guacamole, salsa with sour cream, and applesauce with cinnamon wontons and they were a big hit! All you have to do is drop about a teaspoon (maybe heaping) in the middle of the wonton, brush some water around the sides of the wonton, and then pinch all the corners together to create a little delicious bundle.  Then, just bake at 350 for 20 minutes!

Head over to ABpetite for some other fantastic flavor combinations and ideas!