Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

I got to go Pumpkin Picking Sunday with my parents and bff Tamara! It was a lovely day in Wisconsin and we took full advantage of the beautiful weather.  We went to a great farm, picked some amazing pumpkins, and got some apples/apple cider.  It was so much fun! There was a corn maze, haunted house, and other fun activities.  Plus, I got to hang with my parents for the first time in a long time.

It was so nice to spend brunch and the afternoon with them and it made me realize how much I miss my family.  I love it here in Madison, but sometimes when things get stressful, I end up missing my family a ton.  It was great to catch up and just relax for the afternoon.

The One

Today I am sharing a lovely pumpkin treat in honor of Pumpkin Picking! These cupcakes were fantastic! I shared them with my DTS brothers and sisters at study night and with the 8th grade team of teachers.  Everyone raved about them! I adapted the pumpkin spice cupcakes from Williams-Sonoma and for the frosting I made a study whipped cream frosting adapted from All Recipes.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (or a mix of all purpose and whole wheat)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp espresso powder
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup non-fat greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
4 eggs

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients:
1 8 oz packaged of reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 12-cup muffin times with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, espresso powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, and greek yogurt.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add in the flour, 1/3 at a time, and mix until just combined.
4. Fill the muffin tins about 3/4 full.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool completely.
5. Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon together.  Slowly pour in the cream and beat until whipped and frosting holds a stiff peak.  Frost the cupcakes and serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve and then frost the cupcakes.

Enjoy :)

This post is featured on Foodie Friends Friday!

Healthy Avocado Chocolate Pudding

When I saw this recipe, I knew I just had to try it.  It is so simple and it looks delicious.  Also, it is pretty darn healthy and just a little crazy.

I have been so busy lately, but even I had time to whip this up in my food processor and then snack on it while working on homework/watching tv (that's right...I can multitask).  So let me tell you the recipe and then I have to go get ready for school!

Healthy Avocado Chocolate Pudding (adapted from Kirbie's Cravings)

Ingredients:
1 medium avocado
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup skim milk

Directions:
1. Peel and take remove the seed from the avocado.  Place chunks of the avocado into a food processor.  Place the rest of the ingredients in.  Food process until smooth.  Eat immediately, or place in the fridge to chill.

Enjoy :)

Pumpkin Spice Scones

Sundays are the perfect day to whip up a nice batch of scones.  That is why I am sharing this recipe today! I found the original recipe at Bespangled and she described the scones as "inspired by Starbucks." Now, I LOVE coffee, I LOVE scones, and I LOVE Pumpkin Spice Latte Season.  So, this recipe for Pumpkin Spice Scones sounded just perfect to pair with a pumpkin spice latte!  I am working on the Pumpkin Spice Latte idea, but here are the scones.  I adapted the recipe to use some lighter ingredients and it tasted fabulous! I brought them to study night and my DTS taste testers all agreed that these were just amazing.  I must admit, I may or may not have licked the spoon I used to make the glaze when I was done and it was crazy good.  Beware of that glaze and enjoy these scones!

Pumpkin Spice Scones

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
3 tbsp half and half
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp skim milk
Pumpkin Spice Glaze:
1 cup + 3 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp skim milk
1/2 tbsp pumpkin puree
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
dash of cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.  Stir in the melted butter until you have a mixture that resembles wet sand.  Use your hands to pinch the butter through the flour mixture.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, egg, and half and half until well combined.  Pour in the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Place the dough on some parchment paper and form it into a rectangle about a foot long, 4-5 inches wide, and 1 inch thick.  Using a knife, cut this into thirds and then cut each third into 8 pieces by cutting diagonally, horizontally and vertically.  You will end up with 24 mini triangles.

5.  Place on parchment lined sheet and bake for 12 minutes.  Let cool.
6. Make both glazes: make the basic glaze by stirring the milk into the powdered sugar until well combined.  Make the pumpkin glaze by stirring all the ingredients together until well combined.  If you want a thicker glaze, add more sugar and if you want a thinner glaze, add more milk.
7.  Spread the basic glaze over each cooled scone and then drizzle the pumpkin glaze over the top.

Enjoy :)

Foodie Friends Freaky Friday Party

Halloween is just around the corner and so this Friday, Foodie Friends Friday, is doing a "Freaky" themed party.  Link up your fantastic-ly, freaky recipes and have fun checking out some great Halloween recipes!

I'm linking up these awesome graveyard cups!

Onto the business/fun stuff! Last week three lucky winners won great prizes from Clean Mama Printables!

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

Most Votes:

1. Cheapo Pumpkin Spice Latte

2. Easy Bacon Wrapped Garlic Chicken

3. Pumpkin Pancake Palooza

Most Clicked:

1. Chocolate Snack Cake with Biscoff Buttercream

2. Apple Filled Pull Apart Bread

3. Hashbrown Crusted Quiche

This week there are FIVE sponsors and TWELVE prizes! WOAH! Here are this week's sponsors:

The Tape Shop

Lenore's Attic Art

Songbird Greetings

You Name It Designs Shop

Vectoria Designs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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