USASillyYaks: cherry

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Cherry Pecan Banana Muffins

Cherry Pecan Banana Muffins
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup mashed super-ripe bananas, usually 3-4 medium bananas worth
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups gluten free flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained well, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream sugar with butter until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time and beat well. Add bananas and vanilla and beat again, making sure batter is well combined. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, pecans and cherries. Using a spatula or large spoon, gently fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture, just until ingredients are barely combined. Don’t over mix! Divide batter between 12 well-greased muffin tin cups and bake, uncovered, for approx. 20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown and spring back to the touch on top. Remove from oven and place muffin tin onto a cooling rack. Remove from muffin tin and store in an air tight container.

Makes 12 fat muffins

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cuppeycakes

         This is another Pinterest inspired idea. I had run across an idea that used brownies on the bottom and strawberry cake mix on the top. However both were gluten filled and used mixes. I decided to make them from scratch using a cake recipe that makes "Cupcakes for Two". I made one Vanilla recipe, but flavored it up with some Cherry flavoring to create the Cherry portion. I then made one Chocolate recipe to create the chocolate portion. I then layered them together to create my Chocolate Covered Cherry Cuppeycakes!!
     The great thing about these recipes are that they make just a few cupcakes, you aren't stuck with two dozen cupcakes to find homes and bellies for. Not that anybody is ever "stuck" with a cupcake, but sometimes it is nice to just make a couple instead of a whole batch. If you make JUST the vanilla or JUST the chocolate recipe it will make 2 or 3 cuppeycakes. If you are combining them like I have done for this creation, then you will end up with about 6 cuppeycakes. PERFECT for those special valentines in your life on Valentines Day!
       Let's get cookin'!

Vanilla Cupcakes for Two -Gluten Free

1 egg white
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup gluten free flour mixture
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 heaping teaspoon of baking powder
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Pre heat oven to 350 deg. Line a muffin pan with 2 liners, spray the inside of the liners with cooking spray.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Add in sugar and egg white. Stir until combined. Add flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth and creamy. Stir in the milk and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Divide the batter into the cupcake liners.

Bake at 350 deg. for 10-14 min. or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely and frost as desired.

For Chocolate Cupcakes: add 4 teaspoons of Cocoa Powder
For Cherry Cupcakes: decrease vanilla extract to 3/4 teaspoon and add 1/2 teaspoon cherry extract and a dash of pink food coloring (optional)

Ok, you have the basic recipe for the cupcakes. and also the instructions on how to make the chocolate batter and the cherry batter. You will need one recipe of chocolate batter and one recipe of cherry batter to make the chocolate covered cherry cuppeycakes. Here we go!!

I think it's easiest if you just have everything out and ready to dump into the bowl.

I just sat two bowls beside each other, when I added the ingredient for one recipe, I also added it to the second bowl. It saved time to do it that way.