Banana and Applesauce Muffin

Hello everyone! Here in our town summer break is officially upon us! School is finally over... I can't believe that my daughter's first (pre?) pre-school year has come and gone! Last August she started school as a very shy two-year old, but now she talks non-stop, chases her little friends around the playground, and can do so much more! It is absolutely amazing to see your children develop so much in such a short amount of time. 

My daughter and my husband at the entrance to the school on her first day.

Now look at her! (and ignore me...) This is on the last day of her school. They have a picnic day for the students and parents to come and play in the playground area during their normal school time. I made the muffins below as one of the treats for the picnic, and brought it along with pretzels sticks and cherry tomatoes. Simple, but it worked well for us :) It was a special mommy-daughter only day too as the babysitter watched our baby boy. 
A little note about these muffins: they were very moist due to the combination of applesauce and oil, and not too overly sweet. I also didn't feel horrible having multiple muffins at once since I used wheat flour (which practically makes it non-caloric, right?) Ha!
Anyways, enjoy your summer with one of these muffins!

Banana and Applesauce Muffin
~makes about 18 muffins


Muffin ingredients:
-1 1/2 cup quick oats
-1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp baking powder
-3/4 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp nutmeg
-1 cup applesauce
-1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 whole bananas)
-1/2 cup whole milk
-3 Tbsp canola oil
-1 egg
-1/2 cup brown sugar


Topping ingredients:
-1/2 cup quick oats
-2 Tbsp brown sugar
-1/4 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 tsp cloves
-2 Tbsp butter, melted
-1/3 cup chopped pecans


Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 18 muffin cups in a muffin pan.
In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large measuring cup, mix together applesauce, banana, milk, brown sugar, oil, and egg. 
For the topping, in a small bowl, melt the butter, and add the other ingredients for the toppings. Set aside.
Returning to the muffin batter, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix until combined.
Fill each muffin cup 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle topping over muffins (about 1 tsp over each muffin). Bake in preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.


Recipe adapted from Cooks.com

Streusel Cupcakes

Happy Friday everyone! Ever go to your local coffee shop and crave one of those yummy pastries displayed? No? NO?!!! Well then, you have much stronger will power than I do... I'm one of those weak souls who drool at the sight of a fresh sweet pastry treat. Well, I'd go broke if I bought one every time the craving hit (and it hits a LOT). So, when I saw this recipe on my Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book, I marked it that I definitely wanted to try! This coffee cake-like cupcake was so nice, and the milk glaze on top added a nice crusty topping along the streusel topping. 
I adapted the ingredients a bit because I ended up having a lot of left-over streusel topping and milk glaze with the original measurements. Also, I think that this recipe would make a lovely loaf too (haven't tried that yet but next time I may make just 12 cupcakes and one loaf).
Hope you enjoy this recipe, and have a fantastic weekend!

Streusel Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes


Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp (1-1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups sour cream


Streusel Topping:
1-1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature


Directions:
1. Make the streusel topping: whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until combined but still crumbly. Refrigerate 30 minutes before using.
2. Preheat oven to 350F and line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, and then add the vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. On slowest speed setting, add flour mixture and sour cream; alternating the flour mixture and sour cream in batches (3 of flour mixture and 2 of sour cream). Stir until just combined. 
4. Divide batter evenly among lined tins. Sprinkle half the topping over cupcakes, gently pressing it into the batter. Sprinkle evenly with remaining topping. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Once baked, transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.



Milk Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp milk

Whisk together ingredients until smooth. Use immediately.


5. To finish the cupcakes, place cupcakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; drizzle evenly with milk glaze. Glazed cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers. 


Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes