Coffeecake Muffins (low carb, keto, yada yada)

It's been a long, long time since I've posted.  Life is still... life-ing.
It's been a tough past couple years.  Most of the time I don't even think of my old cooking and recipe blog!

This afternoon I was taking a break from convincing myself NOT to do all the things my brain is telling me should get done.  I had Coffee Cake Muffins on the counter so I stood there eating one when I suddenly thought about the cooking blog, "An American Housewife" Cooks. No idea why but it popped in my head.  I was SURE I had posted this recipe... probably at least 2 or 3 times, as I've made it at least 50 times in the past 10 years.  I snapped a picture with my cellphone as I was eating, and then later, came online to see if it was here.

Well, I have no idea... because I didn't find it within the first 8 seconds of searching so I just opted to post again.

Carb count depends on the products and brands you use.  Also, when I first started to make this recipe, there were VERY FEW products available... so my original hand written recipe card calls for things like Splenda and I think (?) Brown Sugar Twin or something like that.  Because back then the market had almost no sugar-free, low carb, keto products.  So things change over the years.  Use what you use.  Count your carbs and sugar using your products. 

 

Coffeecake Muffins

Topping:

1/2 c almond flour
3 T brown sugar style natural sweetener
2 T coconut flour
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 c melted butter

Mix the topping ingredients together to blend well and set aside.

 
Muffins:

2 c almond flour
1/3 c sweetener of choice
1/4 c whey protein powder (unflavored or vanilla - zero carb, zero sugar)
3 T coconut flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
1/4 t salt
1/2 c melted butter
4 eggs
1/2 unsweetened almond milk

Preheat your oven to 325.
Whisk together the dry ingredients for your muffins.
Stir in the butter, eggs, almond milk and vanilla.  Mix well by hand or briefly with mixer.

Fill lined muffin tins (makes 1 pan of 12-ish or about 6 jumbo with some leftover).  Place some of the crumble topping on each muffin tin of batter.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until done.  Cool complete in pans.  

If you wish at this point you can add a simple sugar free drizzle on top:
1/4 c powdered natural sweetener
2 T water or almond milk
1/2 t vanilla

Or top with a sugar free frosting.  I used a cinnamon flavored frosting on the ones in the photo above. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Sherbet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

I saved this recipe in my files back in 2023 at some point.  I just saw it and want to post it so I can find it easily if I decide to them them this week.  Lemon everything is sounding so good lately!

 

 Lemon Sherbet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
 

1 c (8 oz.) salted butter, softened
2 1/2 c granulated sugar
6 large eggs
3 c  all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t table salt
1 c sour cream
1 T lemon zest
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 t  vanilla extract

Frosting:
1 c butter, softened
3 T lemon zest
4 c powdered sugar
8 T fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 drops yellow liquid food coloring

Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat 1 cup softened butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty stand mixer until creamy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in 1 tablespoon zest, 1 tablespoon juice, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Place 30 paper baking cups in three 12-cup standard-size muffin pans; spoon 1/4 cup batter into each baking cup.

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Prepare Frosting: Beat 8 ounces softened butter and 3 tablespoons lemon zest at medium speed until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 8 tablespoons lemon juice, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Add up to 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until desired consistency is reached. Add food coloring, and beat at high speed until well blended and frosting is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Spoon frosting into a ziplock plastic freezer bag. Snip 1 corner of bag to make a small hole. Pipe about 1 1/2 tablespoons frosting onto each cupcake.

Lime Sherbet Cupcakes: Substitute lime zest for lemon zest and fresh lime juice for lemon juice. For frosting, substitute fresh lime juice for lemon juice, and 1 to 2 drops green liquid food coloring for yellow.

Orange Sherbet Cupcakes: Substitute orange zest for lemon zest and fresh orange juice for lemon juice. For frosting, substitute orange zest for lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 7 to 8 tablespoons fresh orange juice in place of 8 to 9 tablespoons lemon juice. Substitute 1 drop red liquid food coloring for yellow.

Muffins from a pancake mix (all different kinds/flavors - your choice)

 

   

This particular can of pancake mix from food storage is about 12 years old, I don't think the labels look like this any longer.

 

 

Continuing on 'things to do with a pancake mix' that aren't necessarily pancakes.
The cookies were a hit, now let's move on to muffins.  So QUICK and easy.  I whipped up a couple different versions today and thought I'd quickly share.

Pancake Mix Muffins

2 1/2 c pancake mix

2 eggs (egg powder to equal)
1 c milk (premixed from dry milk powder or fresh if you have it)
1/4 c sugar

1/2 c oil of choice

extract - vanilla, almond, lemon or orange - depends on the kind of muffins you want

Stir or whisk together the ingredients, add whatever flavorings and extras you wish.  Bake in muffin tins, lined with paper if you wish, at 400 for 15-17 minutes until done. 

 

 

 

 

The first batch was chocolate chip with vanilla extract

 

 

 

Second batch was almond and vanilla extract with poppy seeds, and topped with sliced almonds

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baking Spirits Bright for 2022 - Christmas Cookies and Candies

 

Cookie Ideas and recipe links:   Baking Spirits Bright in 2022 

 

 

Basic Yellow Cake with variations

BASIC YELLOW CAKE

2/3 c sugar
1/4 c shortening
Dash  salt
1 t vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2  c flour
1/2 c milk
2 t baking powder

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add egg and flavoring and beat thoroughly. Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with milk to sugar mix. Pour into well-greased 2-cake pan and bake at 375ºF for 35 min.


CHOCOLATE CAKE: Add 1 sq of unsweetened chocolate that has been melted over water or 1 T. Cocoa powder to shortening/sugar mixture. 

SPICE CAKE: Add 1 t. cinnamon, 1/2 t nutmeg, 1/4 t cloves, and 1/2 c raisins to cake batter. 

RAISIN CAKE: Add 1/2 c raisins to cake . 

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE: In bottom of cake pan pour 2 T melted butter and 1/2 c brown sugar. Mix. Layer pineapple rings and maraschino cherries in center of rings. Cover with batter and bake as before for 30 min.
 

QUICK COFFEE CAKE: Add 1 T grated lemon rind to batter. Pour into greased pan. Sprinkle generously with a mixture of 1/2 c sugar 1 T cinnamon. Bake . 

WASHINGTON PIE: Bake in two cake pans. Prepare cream filling. And place between layers. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Shortcake: Bake in a jelly roll pan. Then cut in squares and top with fresh fruit and whipped cream. 

Cup cakes: Fill 2/3 full and bake as for cake.

Lemon Crumb Topping Muffins

 



Lemon Crumb Topping Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2  t salt
1/3 c oil
1 1/2 t lemon extract
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1 c half and half (cream)
1 T lemon zest

1/4 c flour
1/4 c sugar
2 T butter
1 T lemon zest


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the oil, lemon, sugar, egg, milk and lemon zest. Mix well. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Divide the batter among 12 muffin cups that have been lined with a cupcake liner.

In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the topping until you have coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon streusel topping on the top of each muffin.

Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425 degrees, then, without opening the oven, lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 8 minutes.  Makes 12 muffins.

Cream Filled Vanilla Keto Cupcakes (from my previously posted mix in a jar)

 

 

Last week I noticed we had a little bit of sour cream left in the refrigerator container I needed to use up.  Usually my first thought for using up the last of the sour cream before a fresh grocery shopping trip is to make something like chicken enchiladas or another Mexican dish.  But then I suddenly thought about the jar of DIY cake-mixes I had in the pantry.  I knew one of them used a bit of sour cream.

That was perfect, because I also noted I had to use up some heavy whipping cream as well, which I could use for the frosting!

If you follow me on this site or my Instagram, you might recall that I like to make my own mixes for things, and I did a post in 2021 for a few keto cake and cupcake mixes to store in Mason jars in the pantry.   (Link:  here) 

I still had this mix in the pantry, as any time I've wanted to make cake or cupcakes, I would decide to make them completely from scratch and 'save' the jar mix for when I had 'less time' or was out of an ingredient and needed it.  But I really needed to rotate it out because it had been a year, and one of the ingredients in the mix was whey protein powder - and these are not sealed with oxygen absorbers, these are just regular Mason jars with a screw lid.

 

 

Cream Filled Vanilla Cupcakes (from my mason jar pantry mix)

2 1/2 c almond flour
1/4 c sweetener
1/2 c vanilla whey protein powder (with zero sugar/carbs)
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c sour cream
4 egg whites
1/4 t cake batter flavor extract or LorAnn Princess Cake Flavoring
1/2 t vanilla
5-10 drops liquid sweetener (optional)

Sugarfree Sprinkles
Frosting of choice and/or whipping cream with 2 T sweetener per 1 c liquid and 1 t unflavored gelatin

Preheat the oven to 325 and line your 12 count muffin tin with paper liners.
To the dry ingredients, add the sour cream, egg whites, flavoring and drops of liquid sweetener if you opt to use it.  Mix until all blended and divide into your muffin tins.  Bake until golden and firm to a slight fingertip touch (about 25 minutes).  Let cool completely.

If you use your favorite frosting or filling recipe, you can use it as is, or what I prefer, to blend it with some whipped cream.  Up to you.  I used stabilized whipped cream in mine this time. 

Stabilize whipping cream by sprinkling a teaspoon of unflavored gelatin powder over a tablespoon of water in a little container and letting it soften for a few minutes, then pop it into the microwave to soften and 'melt' for about 15 seconds.  Let it cool.   To a cup of cold, heavy whipping cream, add about 1-2 tablespoons sweetener (depending on how sweet you like your whipped cream) and a dash of vanilla, and start to beat it. As it starts to thicken but isn't yet stiff peaks, slowly drizzle the gelatin mixture down the side of the bowl, into the whipping cream, continue to drizzle and whip until it forms stiff peaks. 

I used about 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream, which doubles to about 3 cups when whipped.

Put into a plastic decorator bag with the end snipped off (or use a tip if you wish) and push a bit of filling into each cooled cupcake.  Top with a swirl of whipped cream on the top and sprinkle with sugar free sprinkles if you wish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five (5) Low Carb and Sugarfree Cake Recipes: White, Chocolate, Cinnamon Coffee Cake and Red Velvet (Plus 2 frosting recipes)

This post isn't actually here for anyone but me... but I keep the blog site open to the public so others can find recipes and hints too.  

The reason for this post is to take some of my keto or low carb cake recipes from the past 10 years and put them 'front and center' here because I need to make a birthday cake this weekend and I'm not sure yet which kind I want to make.  It just saves me a few extra minutes to put them here and decide at the time I start the cake.

All of these are from posts over the past 10 years.

 

 

This photo is a cake I made in September of 2012 for my parents anniversary as they were visiting us during that time, and I wanted to celebrate, but our family was in the middle of a no sugar, low carb way of eating.   I first made it in April 2012 for my own birthday (was also doing no sugar at the time) and again in September for them. 

 

 

FIRST RECIPE:   Sugar Free, Low Carb White Birthday Cake

3 c good quality, blanched, fine grained almond flour
1/3 c whey protein powder - vanilla or unflavored (I only use IsoPure - not any other brand)
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/3 sticks real butter
3/4 c mixture of granulated natural sweeteners of your choice (Lakanto, Xylitol, SoNourished, etc)
1/2 t liquid sweetener drops like Sucrarose, etc. (optional but it helps to use 2-3 sweeteners)
3 eggs
1 T cake batter flavoring
1 1/2 t vanilla
1/2 c unsweetened almond milk

Grease or line a 9" pan with parchment.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Put the dry ingredients into a large bowl; almond flour, whey protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt.


Mix butter and sweeteners until fluffy, add eggs.  Beat in cake batter flavoring and vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients alternating with the almond milk.

Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes.  At this point your cake might be done, but I find almond flour baked goods need a little longer and the cake may start to be too brown on top.  If your cake is still a bit too wet in the center or jiggles, yet the top is getting browned, cover with foil and bake about 5 minutes more; turn off the oven and let it for about 5-10 minutes more, checking to see if the center of your cake is set and done.  My oven bakes this cake in a good quality 9" pan for 35 minutes at 350, cover with foil, turn off the oven and leave for another 10-12 minutes and it's perfectly done.  Cool completely or freeze before frosting.

 

 

SECOND RECIPE:  White Cake - Low Carb and Sugar Free

1/2 c butter, soft

8 eggs

1 c  white sugar-like sweetener of your choice

2 T Xylitol

14 drops liquid sweetener (I used Superose Liquid Sweetener which is no longer available, but you can use Stevia, EZ-sweet, etc.)
1/2 t salt

4 t vanilla extract

2 T Torani Sugar Free Vanilla flavor

1/2 c sour cream

1/3 c (not quite heaping) Carbquick

1/3 coconut flour

2/3 c Isopure Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (0 carb, 0 sugar)

1 t baking powder

Whisk or mix eggs and vanilla flavorings in a bowl until yellow and frothy.  In another bowl place the Carbquick, coconut flour, protein powder and baking powder.  In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and the sweeteners; Splenda, Xylitol and liquid sweetener.  Beat until fluffy.  Add the eggs by pouring them in as the mixer is running.  Add half the dry ingredients, half the sour cream, then the rest of the dry and the rest of the sour cream.  

Place in 2 round 8" or 9" pan sprayed or oiled and dusted with either a light dusting of Carbquick or almond meal, etc.  Bake at 350F for approximately 25-35 minutes until the center is set.  Let cool about 10 minutes so you can remove it easily from the pan.  Invert it onto a platter and let cool completely before frosting and serving.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake  It's one that always turns out and everyone loves it - even those who have no idea it's sugar free, gluten free and low carb. 


Frosting:  Do a taste test on this one.... add more or less sweetener or vanilla if you wish

Approximately:   1 stick butter
2 c Swerve Confectioner's Style sweetener (Swerve Confection Style)
about 1 teaspoon liquid sweetener drops
1/4 - 1/2 c Lakanto or other sweetener to bring out the best 'sugar like' flavor.  (If you use something like SoNourished Sweetener, I find I only need about 1 cup!  So TASTE TEST because the sweeteners you use make a huge difference in the amount needed to flavor your frosting). 
1/4 t xanthan gum (optional, but it makes a nice thickener/texture)
1/2 - 3/4 c heavy whipping cream
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 t LorAnn liquid emulsion "princess" cake flavoring.

In an electric mixing bowl, beat the butter, then add the rest.  Add more cream to make it a bit thinner, or more sweetener to make it thicker.  Taste test to get the right amount of sweetness and flavorings that you like.

 Low Carb, Sugar Free, Chocolate Cake

2 1/4 c good quality almond flour
3/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 c sweetener (erythritol, etc.) + little more if you like it sweeter
1/3 c whey protein powder (I use Isopure - zero carb & zero sugar)
1 t instant coffee
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t xanthan gum
1/2 t salt
3/4 c sour cream
1/2 c soft butter (1 stick)
5 eggs
15 drops liquid or other sweetener (mixing sweeteners gives it better flavor than a single sweetener)
2 t vanilla
2/3 c almond milk or half and half, etc.

Place all the dry ingredients from the almond flour to the salt, in a large bowl and mix well with a wood spoon, whisk, etc.  Set aside.  In your mixing bowl, beat the butter and sour cream.  Beat in the eggs, liquid sweetener and vanilla.  Add half the dry almond flour mixture, beat well.  Add the almond milk, beat.  Add the last of the almond flour mixture.  Bake in your preferred pan;  a greased and parchment lined 9X13, a greased bundt pan, 2 greased and parchment lined round 8 or 9 inch pans or make into cupcakes.   Bake at 325 degrees.   I baked in two- 9 inch round pans about 32 minutes.  Test and bake until the center is done.  Let cool about 10 minutes and remove from pans to cool completely.



Low Carb Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake

1 c butter
1 1/2 c sweetener
2 eggs
2 1/2 c almond flour
1/3 c whey protein powder
1/4 c coconut flour
1 t xanthan gum
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
2 t cocoa
1 t salt
1 bottle - 1 oz. red food color
1 T vinegar
2 t vanilla
1 c almond milk with part cream and 1 1/2 t vinegar (or lemon juice) to sour

Mix the almond milk with the vanilla and 1 1/2 t vinegar in a small cup and let set.  You could buttermilk in place of the vinegar and almond milk.

Cream the butter and sweeteners in a mixing bowl til fluffy.  Add the eggs.  If your eggs are small use 3.  In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk mixture.  Begin and end with the dry.  When mixed well, pour into your pans of choice.  I use 2 round cake pans sprayed and lined with a piece of parchment.  Bake at 350 approximately 25-35 minutes depending on your oven.  When the center is set and the cake is done, remove and cool 10-15 minutes in the pan before removing from pan to cool completely.  Decorate as you wish - the traditional Red Velvet Cake Frosting DOES NOT USE CREAM CHEESE.  It's a flour and milk based frosting you then cool and add the butter, sweetener and vanilla.

Sugar Free Butter Cream Vanilla Frosting

3/4 c granular Xylitol 
1/4 c water
3 large egg whites (separate and use the yolks in another recipe)
2 1/2 sticks real butter
2 T vanilla extract or use half vanilla sf syrup and half extract
*If you taste test it and find your personal tastes would like it sweeter, use 5-10 drops liquid sweetener

In a saucepan, place the water and Xylitol. Heat over medium high until it comes to 240 degrees.  With normal sugar this would be soft ball stage but because Xylitol and Splenda do not thicken, you cannot test this by traditional soft ball stage.

As you are heating the sugar substitute and water, mix the egg whites in a large mixing bowl.  Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  With the mixer running, pour the hot Xylitol mixture down the side of the bowl in a thin stream, mixing into the egg whites.  Beat approximately 7-10 minutes on high until the egg whites resemble a thick and glossy meringue.

Start to add the butter in chunks, about a tablespoon at a time.  Keep the mixer running and whip the mixture about 7- 10 minutes more.  If the mixture breaks up when you first add the butter and it looks like cottage cheese, no worries.  Just keep whipping until it's smooth again.  Once the frosting is smooth, add your vanilla and whip again for a few minutes.  If it's a really warm or humid day it might get too warm to work with.  Just refrigerate it for about 7 minutes, whip again.  The cooler temperatures will cause it to harden up again.

 Drizzle the hot syrup down the side of the mixing bowl into the egg whites

 I had to make 2 batches to fill and cover a 3 layer cake

Lemon Muffins - Low Carb and Sugar Free 2020 version

About two weeks ago I bought a container of ricotta cheese intending to make a keto lemon cake, but... life.

So last weekend I used half the container to make a keto lasagna and hoped I'd have time to get around to the cake this week.  Which, I didn't.  But yesterday I realized had about 30 minutes free to whip up 'something' yummy to snack on for the next couple days and using up the ricotta cheese was my goal.

Although I wasn't in the mood for a cake and my husband isn't a 'cake' eater at all.  He loves cake, but it never occurs to him to eat it.  Ever.  If it's out of sight, it's out of mind and also, as sad as it sounds, he thinks "cutting a piece of cake" is just too much work.  But he will eat cupcakes (and muffins), if they are front and center, on the counter, where he can't miss them and can grab one or two 'on the go'.


Lemon Muffins
Great to use up leftover ricotta

2/3 c ricotta (I used about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 c granulated sweetener (I used 1 c So Nourished brand erythritol w/ Monk Fruit)
3 eggs (I used 4)
1 t grated lemon zest (I use 2 t dried lemon zest)
3/4 t lemon extract (I used about 2 heaping capfuls)
1/2 t vanilla extract (I used about teaspoon, didn't measure)
2 c almond flour (I used 3 cups)
1/4 c coconut flour (I used about 1/3 cup)
1 T baking powder (I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1/4 t salt (I used about a teaspoon)
2-4 T water (I didn't use at all)

Preheat oven to 325.  Line your muffin tins with paper liners.  The original recipe made about 12.  My version made 18.

In a food processor bowl, place the ricotta cheese, sweetener, eggs, lemon zest, extracts and blend.  Add the dry ingredients and process again just until smooth.  Wait about 30 seconds to see how thick your batter is as the coconut flour thickens the batter as it absorbs moisture.  If you need to add a little water you can do it now and blend again.

Fill your muffin tins. Bake 25-30 minutes until the tops are firm when you gently touch them.  Cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes and then you can remove to cool on a wire cooling rack (to keep the bottoms from getting soggy).  

You can top with a simple glaze if you wish - mix about 1/2 cup powdered natural sweetener with about 2 T lemon juice and drizzle.   Mine in the photo are plain. 

From my Instagram Story Today: Low Carb & Sugar Free Zucchini Bread

If there is a recipe that I think any 6 or 7 year old child who is interested in baking could and should make, this might be it.  

Things with zucchini in them tend to be really easy, quick and no-fail recipes. As with almost any quick-bread, it's better to slightly overbake it than to underbake and have it gooey and undone in the center.   Make sure the center is 'done', fairly firm, and doesn't jiggle and sink before you take it out of the oven.

This will make 2 loaves.  Use a regular 9X4" bread pan, lined with parchment and lightly greased.


Zucchini Bread

1 c scooped almond flour, not packed down
3/4 c good quality coconut flour
1/4 c unflavored or vanilla flavored whey protein powder
(You can skip the whey protein and use a full cup coconut flour if that's what you have)
2 T baking powder
1 c - 1 1/4 c sweeteners (I like to mix at least 2 granular natural sweeteners for best flavor)
4 eggs
2/3 c melted butter
2/3 c sour cream
2 t vanilla
3 t cinnamon
1/2 t sea salt
2 c shredded zucchini

Mix all the ingredients with a wood spoon or spatula until moistened and well mixed.  Separate into two prepared loaf pans and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for approximately 1 hour until done.  Remove and let cool about 20 minutes in the pan before removing and pulling away from the parchment paper too cool completely.  I like to wrap all my quick breads (pumpkin, zucchini, banana breads)  in plastic wrap as soon as they are mostly cool, then wrap in foil, and place in the freezer for 24 hours.  After that either they stay stored there until I need them, or I remove them and thaw to serve.  I keep mine in the refrigerator because I like cool breads personally and just don't like quick breads at room temperature.

 

 

Homemade Copycat Entenmann's Coffee Cake Style Loaf - Cinnamon Coffee Cake Loaf and OH MY IT'S GOOD! (Originally posted in 2007)

Originally posted in February, 2007!



Reposting in 2019 and adding the note that you can make this into cupcakes too!  I haven't made this in a really long time since we are doing more low carb and sugar free now, however, we've been off the bandwagon since some disruptions in life with the wedding, house guests, having houseguests staying with us this month, etc. so really, now would be the perfect time for me to make this again.  Not only is it an incredibly yummy recipe, but it's a nice 'Autumn' coffee cake, and since we are eating some flour baked good items right now anyway, it's an idea that is on my 'baking radar!'.



Entenmann's Style Coffee Cake Loaf

3 3/4 c flour
1 3/4 c sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt

Mix in a large mixing bowl and then remove 2 cups of the dry mix to reserve for later.
Now to the rest of the flour in the mixing bowl add;

1 stick butter (not margarine)
2 eggs
2/3 milk

The batter will be thick, spread this into a greased and floured pan (I use a little of the reserved flour topping mix to flour the pan). Now, you are wondering what size aren't you? Any size you want. If you use a 9X13 pan, you will have a thin cake, a 14 inch square would be nice, a 9X9" square will be a thick cake. I personally like to use a bread loaf pan. I like mine as a 'pound cake'. Spread the batter into your pan.

Now, to the reserved flour mixture add;

1 stick butter
1/4 c brown sugar
2 t cinnamon
dash of salt

Mix this together with your finger tips until it forms pea sized crumbles. Cover the entire cake with this topping. If you chose to use a loaf pan you will only use half the topping. Freeze the rest in a baggy to use on muffins at a later date!

Bake at 350 degrees - a 9X13" pan approximately 30 minutes or a loaf pan it will have to bake at least 60 minutes. I bake mine about 1 hour and 15 minutes until a sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Spice Cake (regular and low carb version)

When you can't wait for the cake to cool to frost it, you just dig in with a spoon and smear a little frosting on each bite!  Because it's THAT good!

Spice Cake (regular and low carb version)

3/4 c butter (for the low carb version I cut this down to about 1/2 cup)
1 c brown sugar (or sugar free brown sweetener )
1 egg
1/2 c raisins (leave out for low carb/sugar free)
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cloves
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t allspice
1/2 t cinnamon
2 c flour (2 c almond flour and 1/4 c whey protein powder & optional 1 T coconut flour for texture)
1 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
1 c sour milk

Mix the butter and sugar or sweetener.  Add the egg.  Add raisins if you are using them.  Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and add alternately with the sour milk.   Divide into 2, greased round pounds or a 7X12 baking dish.  Bake 375 degrees for about 25 minutes until done.  Cool completely and frost if you wish - cream cheese frosting is wonderful on this cake!

In the top photo, you can see I'm scooping up the cake with a spoon and smearing a bit of frosting on it... that's because the cake was still too warm to frost but it smelled SO good I just had to dig in!!!  I did end up frosting the whole cake later though, I promise!  Ha ha.   (For the frosting I used a package of cream cheese, some So Nourished powdered sweetener, and vanilla).

CopyCat Hostess Cupcake made Low Carb and Sugar Free - Also made into pretty buttercream topped cupcakes

This week I planned on making a Hostess Cupcake CopyCat in a sugar free and low carb version, but I was busy, not in the mood, etc. One day I finally decided to buckle down and get them made and in the end, I made a few into a "Hostess" copycat but I really hate detailed, repetitive work (like putting swirls on the top of cupcakes) and I had a ton of buttercream frosting left over as I made a double batch, so I stopped with the Hostess design and topped them all with a swirl from a frosting tip... creating really fast and simple roses.  So... two styles of cupcakes that day!

I used my 'old' chocolate chocolate chip muffin recipe and simply left out the chocolate chips.  I can't use my favorite filling recipe because it's a 'regular' sugar based and uses marshmallow fluff (marshmallow cream) in it.  There are 'marshmallow fluff' sugar free mix versions but I don't have any on hand, and just decided to do a basic vanilla frosting filling instead. 

I did a chocolate cupcake (sugar free, low carb and it has a healthy boost of flaxmeal!) covered it in a sugar free chocolate ganache and topped with a vanilla buttercream frosting that matches the filling inside.

This is the chocolate 'muffin' I've been making for YEARS and LOVE IT.  I left the chocolate chips out for this but you can still use them and leave them in if you wish!


Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Muffins
2 c almond flour (heaped a little)
1/4 c flax meal
3/4 c unflavored or vanilla whey protein powder
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/4 c cocoa powder
1 c erythritol, or favorite sweetener
3/4 c pure pumpkin puree  (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 stick real butter, melted
3 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/2 c half and half or cream
4 oz. sugar free chocolate chips

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients;  almond flour, flax, protein powder, baking powder, soda, salt, cocoa and sweetener.    In another bowl mix the pumpkin, butter, eggs and vanilla.   Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon while adding the cream or half and half.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Add a little bit more cream if it's too thick or protein powder or almond flour if it's too thin. Your batter should be thicker than a cake mix yet still able to be scooped or poured into muffin tins.    Pour batter into greased or lined cupcake tins filled  either 2/3 or 1/2 full**.  Bake at 325 for approximately 25 minutes.

**Do not fill 2/3 full to get a nice flat top.  Instead just fill half way, this will give you a flat top to decorate like a Hostess Cupcake with swirls.  You will get about 14-15 of them if you fill 2/3 full for a regular frosting cupcake or about 23 of them if you fill half way for a flat Hostess cupcake.

Let cool completely while you make the chocolate ganache.

Ganache

3/4 c heavy cream

1/3 c powdered sweetener

2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate

1- 2 t vanilla

In a double broiler type set up (a bowl over a pan of simmering water under it to melt gently but avoiding direct heat) place all the ingredients and start stirring as it slowly melts.  Continue stirring until it's all melted and liquid chocolate goodness.  Set this aside to cool a bit until your muffin/cupcakes are done and cooled.  

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 stick real butter
1 1/4 c powdered sweetener(s) of choice*
1 t xanthan gum
6 T heavy cream
2 T vanilla

Cream the butter, add the sweetener and xanthan and the cream, add the vanilla. Whip. If it's too thick add a little more cream by drizzling - it doesn't take much.  If it's too thin, add more sweetener. 


*If you use a good quality sweetener about a cup is more than enough.

Take a LARGE SMOOTHIE SIZED STRAW (link at the bottom of this post, I find mine at the grocery store hanging on a clip-strip in a random aisle... they don't even have them near the regular straws!?).  Use this to push into the center of each cupcake and pull it back out.  This removes just a bit of the cupcake, to allow for your filling.

Fill an icing bag with your frosting and snip the end to give it about a 1 cm wide - you don't have to be precise.  But not too small and not too large.  Now insert the bag tip into the cupcake, squeeze gently as you start to slowly pull back as you will see the cupcake filling up.  As soon as you see the filling come to the top, stop and pull back.  Don't overfill, it will crack the cupcake and push out the top.  If some is out the top, just scrape it flat with a butter knife.

Dip into the ganache.  Either leave your cupcake in the liner and dip just the top, or remove it from the liner and dip it further down the sides.  To dip the entire cupcake you'll want to double or triple the chocolate ganache topping.  You'll need triple to dip them all but it will make them more like a Ding Dong - yum!

I dipped just the tops this time. 

Let set to harden for a bit.  Now using an icing bag with either a tiny round tip or snip just the very end off the bag for a tiny opening, carefully make the swirl design on top of your cupcake with the frosting.  This is time consuming and I hate repetitive, mind numbing tasks like this.  So I lasted all of about 5 cupcakes before I looked at my frosting, decided I had enough to ice them all (I had made a double batch intending on refrigerating some to use on cookies this weekend) so instead, I popped a large icing tip on a new bag, filled it with icing and did a quick swirl on top of each. 

Some product links are at the very bottom of this post if you need some ingredients or want to see what I used.

The cupcake/muffin batter

Don't overfill - you want them to have a flat top

Melting your ganache.  It will look like this when it starts to melt.  Keep going.  It will come together!

It will turn into a nice liquid ganache.  If you WANT TO you can add the sugar free chocolate chips to this if you didn't use them in the original muffin/cupcake recipe.  Or just toss in about 1/4 cup of them if you wish.

Out of the oven!
Let them cool.

Ready to dip!

Making the frosting.  I made a double batch so I used it for filling AND frosting them.

The smoothie straw inserted into the cupcakes and pulled back out to make room for a filling.

Ready to fill

Just smooth the tops with a butter knife to make them flat before dipping in the chocolate ganache.

Ready to dip!

Dipped.
And I'm FINE WITH LEAVING THEM LIKE THIS.  They are like a Hostess Ding Dong!
And for those of you like me who DO NOT LIKE FROSTING OR SWEET THINGS - THESE ARE PERFECT JUST LIKE THIS!  :)

At this point they remind me of Ding Dongs... which I like better than cupcakes.

I hate this part. I have NO patience for this so after only four or five, I quit and used the icing to frosting them!  God bless you if you have patience... you're lucky.  :)

So much faster!

Although this much icing does make them sweet!  Too sweet for me actually.  But when I eat them I just take the icing off and eat the cupcake!  Ha ha.

 This is one freshly made.

The best low carb and sugar free vanilla, white cupcakes!

This is a recipe I've used for years, and posted previously on An American Housewife and even made into a cake I served to my parents (not doing low carb or sugar free) and my Dad couldn't believe it was wheat and sugar free.  However, the original recipe uses Carbquik, which thousands of people love and use regularly but I am one of those weirdos that can taste carbolose in items even in small amounts (along with coconut flour and soy protein, among other things) and I don't care for it.  I can eat it in this cake, as it's not too strong of a flavor to me, but most people can't taste anything in particular so I absolutely would suggest you TRY Carbquik if you haven't.  You might find you love it.

And here is one of the previous posts showing the cake I made for my parents Anniversary from the original recipe.  (Previous recipe using Carbquik here)


To make the cupcakes this time, I substituted the coconut flour and Carbquik for a mixture of almond flour, whey protein powder, a tiny bit of coconut flour, a little xanthan gum and because I am not allergic to wheat, I added a tablespoon of wheat germ.  If your cake batter is a little thin, add more almond flour or whey protein powder, or even a tablespoon of coconut flour (but wait a few minutes after stirring to give the coconut flour time to thicken it up as it thickens upon sitting for 4-5 minutes).


White Cake - Low Carb and Sugar Free

1/2 c butter, soft
8 eggs
1 c equivalent to sugar of natural sweeteners - mix 2 for best flavor (Just Like Sugar, Ideal, etc)
10 drops liquid sweetener
1/2 t salt
4 t vanilla extract
2 T Torani Sugar Free Vanilla flavor
1/2 c sour cream
2/3 c (not quite heaping) almond flour
1/2 t xanthan gum
1 T wheat germ
1 1/2 T coconut flour
1/3 c Isopure Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (0 carb, 0 sugar)
1 t baking powder

Whisk or mix eggs and vanilla flavorings in a bowl until yellow and frothy.
In another bowl place the dry ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and the sweeteners; Beat until fluffy.
Add the eggs by pouring them in as the mixer is running on low. Add half the dry ingredients, half the sour cream, then the rest of the dry and the rest of the sour cream.

Place in 2 round 8" or 9" pans sprayed or oiled - or parchment lined (my favorite way) or about 15-ish cupcake tins lined with paper cupcake liners.  Bake at 350F for approximately 18 minutes for cupcakes or 30-40 minutes for cakes until the center is set. Let cool about 10 minutes so you can remove it easily from the pan. Invert it onto a platter and let cool completely before frosting and serving.



You can use any icing or frosting you wish.

I tested a 'new' recipe for these that uses non-fat dairy creamer and a base cooked on the stove.  I hated it.  I make a similar version using milk, and I know the non-dairy creamer version was an attempt to be dairy free (not important to me but I like testing recipes) and it tasted exactly like... non dairy creamer.  I couldn't stomach it.  I tried to save it with other ingredients but I finally put it into a ziplock and stuck it in the freezer to deal with later.

 

Instead, I whipped up a stick of butter, 2 oz. cream cheese, 2 t vanilla and about 1/2 cup of natural sweetener and just used that to frost the cupcakes.  An old standby, but it works every time.  Just keep tasting it to get the amount of sweetness and vanilla you like.  You'll have to double this to make enough to ice all the cupcakes if you using a bag and frosting tip.  If you just frost with a butter knife and 'smear' some on you can probably get all the cupcakes iced out of this.

You also might like this butter creme version: Sugar Free and Low Carb Frosting


Out of the oven - VERY GOOD PLAIN TOO!  You don't have to frost or ice them, although they are 'prettier' with frosting, they are fine as they are.  I left a few plain but frosted the rest. 

One of my cooling racks....
This angle shows how the eggs in the recipe help them to rise.  It's usually hard to get almond flour baked goods to rise but these did beautifully.

A simple frosting in a bag and tip... quickly transforms them from plain to pretty.

Carrying on Family Tradition - Thanksgiving Mini Candy 'Dinner' Cupcakes

Soooo many years ago (18 I think?) I started to make Thanksgiving cupcakes that looked like tiny Thanksgiving dinners.  I've posted about them here on An American Housewife many times over the years but they are a tradition in our family.

The cupcakes are decorated with a cookie that doubles as a 'plate' and bits of frosting, sprinkles, jimmies and candy are used to make a complete 'meal' of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberries and either green beans or peas (depending on what candies you choose that year).

I'm thrilled to see that as my kids are growing up and leaving the nest, they are continuing our family traditions.  My oldest daughter sent me these pictures yesterday of the mini Thanksgiving Cupcakes she made to hand out to her little boys preschool class and for daycare and teachers.

________________________________________________________________________________

I've posted this 'recipe' for years - here is a copy of one of the posts from my archives

• Brach's Maple Nut Candies
• White frosting
• Yellow gel food color (in a little tube)
• non-perils - red or green (for tiny red cranberries and green peas)
• I bought the long shapes and called them 'green beans'
• caramels, melted or chocolate chips or butterscotch chips for 'gravy'
• a package of cookies with an 'edge' - I choose the ones with the 'pretty edge' to look like a plate
• yellow frosting or other for the 'plate'

Bake and cool your favorite cupcake recipe. Place frosting on the cupcake and top each with a cookie while the frosting is soft to 'adhere' the cookie-plate to the cupcake.

Slice the maple nut candies thin and layer them as 'turkey'.
Dab some white frosting next to it for 'mashed potatoes' followed with a little dab of yellow gel food color as 'butter'.
Melt your caramels, butterscotch or chocolate chips and thin with a little vegetable oil. Drizzle over the 'turkey' as gravy.
Finish it off with the 'cranberries' (red colored sugar or non-perils) and little green 'peas' or 'beans'.

You can slice the top off the cupcakes
if you filled them 3/4 full and they have
a little peak. This will let the 'plate'
evenly on the top of it.

I have made these too many times to count - as they are a tradition in our home *most* Thanksgivings.

I've used all different sorts of cookies as the plate as you can see from yet another photo of the many versions

I've made over the past almost 25 years.