Angel Food Cupcakes

1/2 cup cake flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
6 large egg whites (about 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Line 18 muffin cups with paper muffin cups. Heat oven to 350° F.
Sift the flour and powdered sugar together 3 times; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat or whisk egg whites with the salt until frothy. Add the cream of tartar; continue beating to soft peaks. Add granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.
With a spatula, fold in about 1/3 of the flour and powdered sugar mixture. Fold in another 1/3, then finish with remaining mixture. Gently fold in the orange zest and vanilla.
Using a small ice cream scoop or large tablespoon, fill muffin cups about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for about 15 to 17 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes in pan on rack. Remove cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.Frost with Orange Frosting or a fat-free Fluffy Frosting.

- Diana Rattray

Chocolate-Zucchini Cupcakes

2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 (16 ounce) package chocolate frosting
1/2 cup walnut halves


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, beat eggs with sugar for about 10 minutes or until thickened and pale. Blend oil and cooled chocolate into the beaten egg mixture.
In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir flour mixture into egg mixture until just blended. Stir in zucchini and chopped nuts. Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon batter into 24 paper-lined or greased muffin cups, filling the cups 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 minutes or until fork or toothpick inserted in a cupcake's center comes out clean. Let cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; let cool completely. Spread with chocolate frosting and garnish with walnut or pecan halves.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes

1/4 cup butter or margarine
7 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 can pineapple, canned, crushed (reserve juice)
6 maraschino cherries drained and halved
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg separated, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sugar white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pineapple juice reserved from above can

Lightly grease each 2 1/2 inch cup in a 12-cup muffin tin. For topping, melt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in sugar and cinnamon until blended. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of the pineapple (save
remainder for another use). Spoon about 1 tbsp. of topping into each muffin cup. Place a cherry half, round side down, in center of each.

In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat egg white with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer (no need
to clean beaters) until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla Extract. Alternately add flour mixture and pineapple juice, beating well
after each addition.

Gently fold beaten egg white into batter. Pour evenly into muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until cupcakes test done. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert onto cookie sheet and gently tap each cup to release cupcakes.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Oatmeal Banana Cupcakes

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup bananas mashed
3/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups flour, all-purpose
1 cup oats, quick cooking
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas, honey and mix well. Combine dry ingredients. Stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 18-20 minutes.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Lemon Cream Cupcakes

1 cup butter softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons lemon zest grated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour, all-purpose
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sour cream

Frosting:
3 tablespoons butter softened
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest grated
1 tablespoon milk

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degree F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, cream butter and sugar in small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, lemon peel and milk; beat until
smooth.

Frost cupcakes.

Ginger Cupcakes

2/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups cake flour sifted
1 cup sour milk
2 large eggs beaten

Heat first 5 ingredients to boiling, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Sift soda and flour together and add alternately with milk and
eggs, beating thoroughly after each addition. Pour into greased muffin pans and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes.

Makes 16 cupcakes.

French Mint Cupcakes

6 ounces chocolate (semi-sweet) semi-sweet chips
1 cup butter softened
2 cups powdered sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 x nuts

Melt chips; cool and set aside. Beat butter, using electric mixer. Add sugar. Add cooled chocolate, beat 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla and peppermint extract. Sprinkle nuts on bottom of 24 paper holders in cupcake pan. Fill each cupcake holder half full. Sprinkle with nuts. Freeze for at least 3 hours.

Double Kiss Cupcakes

60 each chocolate kisses
3/4 cup butter softened
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour, all-purpose
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cups water

Remove wrappers from candies; set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin cups with 2-1/2 inch papers. In large mixer bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat on high speed of electric mixer for 3 mintues. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder; add alternately with water to the butter mixture.

Beat just until combined. Fill prepared muffin cups about 1/2 full with batter. Place chocolate kiss in center of each. Bake 20 minutes. Remove to wire rack. Cool. Frost as desired. Place another kiss on top of each cupcake.

Cappuccino Cupcakes

2 cups flour, all-purpose
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup prune puree
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup instant coffee, expresso instant, dissolve in 1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whipped topping, prepared thawed
1 x cocoa powder unsweetened, for dusting

Heat oven to 350°. Lightly coat 18 standard-size muffin-pan cups with nonstick
cooking spray. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and
salt in small bowl. Stir together prune puree, oil, eggs, dissolved espresso and
vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour mixture until blended. Spoon batter envenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each
cup about halfway full.

Bake in 350° oven 17-20 minutes or until tops spring back when
lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in pan for 3 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack to cool completely. Just before serving, frost each cupcake with a tablespoonful of
whipped topping.

Dust with cocoa powder through fine-mesh sieve.

Black Cat Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups cookie crumbs oreo
4.5 ozs cake mix, chocolate
24 pcs oreo cookies
16 ozs chocolate frosting
1 each black licorice string
1 x jelly beans to taste
1 x chocolate (semi-sweet) semi-sweet chips, to taste


Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 24 - 2 1/2 inch muffin cups with cooking spray and
flour; set aside. Prepare cake mix according to package directions; stir in
cookie crumbs. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire rack.

Make cat faces on each of the remaining 24 cookies: using
some frosting, attach 4-1 1/2 inch licorice strings for
whiskers, 2 jelly bean halves for eyes and 2 chocolate chips
for ears. Let set at least 30 minutes. Frost cupcakes with remaining frosting. Stand cat faces on edge on each cupcake. Place 3 inch piece licorice string on back half of each cupcake for tail.

Apricot Cupcakes

6 large eggs
3 cups apricot preserves (jam)
3/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup butter softened
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour, all-purpose
2 cups oats
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs in large bowl. Blend in fruit spread, butter, applesauce, and vanilla. Add flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and spices; mix well. Pour into lined muffin tins.

Bake 18 minutes, until golden brown.

For bars: Spread dough into greased 12"x8" baking dish. Bake 18 minutes, until golden brown and firm to touch. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in tightly covered container.

Applesauce Cupcakes

1/2 cup margarine
1 each egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour, all-purpose
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup walnuts chopped

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cream margarine until fluffy. Beat eggs and sugar; add to margarine and blend.

Sift together dry ingredients. Add to margarine mixture alternately with applesauce, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and nuts.

Spoon into 12 cupcake pans sprayed with vegetable pan spray or use paper baking cups. Bake 15-20 min.