I have been on a baking frenzy these past couple of weeks. Seriously I’ve been baking up a storm between Friendsgiving, regular Thanksgiving, and my mom’s birthday dinner. Hence all the sugary recipe posts lately. This one is no different.
I brought these mini maple walnut cupcakes to Tim’s aunt’s for Thanksgiving on Thursday and they were a huge hit. I feel that if you are going to bake cupcakes for Thanksgiving they need to be mini ones. Reason being that there are so many other wonderful desserts out at Thanksgiving that if I’m limiting myself to my favorites, I would definitely choose pumpkin pie, pecan pie, etc. over a boring cupcake. A mini cupcake; however, can always find its way onto your dessert plate. Same with these mini pecan pie phyllo tarts. I mean, they’re bite sized. You’re pretty much guaranteed everyone will try at least one. So why not?
Mini Maple Walnut Cupcakes
- 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 4 ounces (half of the 8 oz package) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- chopped walnuts, as desired
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Place mini paper baking cups in each of the mini muffin cups.
- Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl; set aside.
- In large bowl, beat the applesauce and the granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Then beat in flour mixture alternately with milk. Stir in 3/4 cup walnuts and 1 teaspoon maple flavor.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each almost full.
- Bake 17 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter until blended in medium bowl. Gradually add powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon maple flavor, beating until smooth.
- Frost cupcakes, then garnish with walnuts.
- Enjoy!
Not to toot my own horn, but I think my cupcakes are getting tastier and tastier. I mean, I don’t ever come up with the recipes on my own, so I cannot take full credit for the recipes themselves, but seriously. These are good. Better than good. And just wait until I post ONE more cupcake recipe this week. Then I promise to start writing about salads and quinoa and oatmeal again. Maybe.
“A burst of maple flavor followed by a nice walnut crunch.” <— Direct quote about these bad Larry’s.
Thanksgiving was kind of weird this year, only because it was the first year I didn’t see any of my family on Thanksgiving itself. I guess that’s what happens as you get older, are in a more serious relationship, and need to split holidays. We did have a nice day at Tim’s aunt’s house though, and ate SO much food as expected. I did well not overeating cheese and crackers and chips and dips before the meal, so I didn’t feel overly full like usual. Seriously those appetizer munchies are my WEAKNESS. I had one serving of everything, and a few too many sweets afterwards but I didn’t feel gross. I think teaching Turkey Trim & Tone that morning helped too. But more on that later.
How was everyone’s holiday? Where did you celebrate? What’s your Thanksgiving weakness? Did you make anything?
Have a wonderful Sunday! I see some Christmas decorating in my near future. Bye friends!