Two Birthdays – Belated Post

Two Birthdays Two Recipes

 

Kathy’s birthday was April 30 and mine was May 9. I made Kathy Lowfat Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. On the Monday of my birthday week, I made Oatmeal Cupcakes with Banana Coconut Frosting.

 

Here are the recipes:

Both are modified versions from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella

 

Lowfat Carrot Cupcakes

 

These are a favorite of all my friends.

 

1.5 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tbl. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground ginger

1 egg

2 tbls. vegetable oil

¼ cup chopped walnuts (plus, extra to sprinkle on top)

½ cup fat-free milk (recipe calls for low-fat but the fat-free works)

8oz. crushed pineapple

1.5 cup grated carrots (I buy a bag of shredded carrots in the produce section to save time)

¼ cup brown sugar

 

1. preheat oven 350
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
3. In a medium bowl mix the egg, vegetable oil, walnuts, milk, pineapple, carrots and brown sugar.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir.
5. Fill cupcake tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting with Chopped Walnuts (I modified it to make it “low” fat)

 

8oz. fat free cream cheese, at room temperature

6 tbls. unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

 

1. Cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Sift powdered sugar into the butter mixture and beat until lumps are gone.
3. Add the vanilla and mix until integrated.
4. Add chopped walnuts and mix until integrated.
5. Frost cupcakes and then sprinkle walnuts on top.

 

 

 

Oatmeal Cupcakes

The brown sugar added on top prior to baking adds an extra surprise in each bite. The more the better. Then the frosting. Yummy. These cupcakes are amazing. Many layers of flavor.

 

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 ½  cups firmly packed dark brown sugar ( ¾ cup for recipe and ¾ cup for sprinkling on top)

1 cup fat free milk

1 ½ cup sifted flour

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground allspice

2 large eggs at room temperature

 

1)      preheat oven to 350.

2)      In a large bowl cream together butter, sugar, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, and ¾ cup milk.

3)      In another bowl mix flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.

4)      Add dry to wet ingredients. Beat and add remaining milk ( ¼ cup) and the eggs. Beat.

5)      Fill cupcake liners and then top each with brown sugar. The more the better.

6)      Bake for 20-25 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Banana Coconut Frosting

 

5 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup coconut

½ cup mashed bananas (usually 1 banana)

1 tsp lemon juice

8 cups powdered sugar

 

1)      Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pan. Stir in coconut and continue stirring until the coconut is brown. Set aside.

2)      Combine mashed bananas and lemon juice.

3)      In a separate bowl cream together the 3 ½ tablespoons butter and powdered sugar. Then add the banana mixture. Mix.

4)      Mix in the cooked coconut.

 

 

 

Topping:

2 cups granola

Banana chips

 

 

Frost each cupcake and then roll the cupcake top in the granola. Top with a banana chip. Enjoy immediately. Happy Birthday to me.

 

 

 

I should be sipping wine

“Birthdays are nature’s way of telling us to eat more cake.”

 

Sitting down to write this post I feel it is only appropriate I have a glass of wine because obviously that signals maturity. Alas, I am lying in bed with a flannel shirt, glass of milk and a portion of coconut cake (“slice” would be an understatement).

 

Cliché but here is my review of the past year and my hopes for the future.

 

As I was reminded by Vanessa’s birthday card, I began my 22^nd year in a drunken stupor.  I was 22 and getting ready to graduate college. I did not have many expectations for my twenty-second year. It was a busy year full of cupcakes, miles, airplanes, and emotion.

I graduated college and moved away from Orange County. Traveled to Italy to visit my close friend Elizabeth. Said goodbye to my hometown, my state, my friends, and my family and moved 1,831 miles away to Iowa City. Began my first of my career as a Graduate student. Fulfilled my lifelong dream on February 15, 2008 when I sat down at the United Center and 5 strong women walked out – Mel B, Mel C, Emma, Geri, and Victoria – The Spice Girls. I began training for a marathon (more on that another day).

My glass is half-full. My twenty-second year was a year of growing up. I have become more settled with me. I love my little apartment because it is my own. I am setting roots in here in Iowa City for at least the next five years; this is not like the life of transition found in college.

 

I had a wonderful birthday. Highlighted with typing papers, the library, birthday wishes, cupcakes, and a cemetery visit. I began my birthday celebration staring at my computer realizing it was midnight and I was typing a paper. I poured a drink of rum crème and milk at 1:30am then I typed until 3am. The next morning in the library, my studiousness continued with Valerie bringing me a very fitting birthday card. I wore my “Make Cupcakes Not War” t-shirt.

 I love all the birthday cards and calls I received – Natalie, Valerie, Vanessa, Ryan, Helen,  Janna and Mike, Trisha, Mom and Dad, Boof, KK. I took the evening off. I went to dinner with Chris and a walk to see the black angel at the cemetery. Received a delicious cupcake and “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.”

Went to bed a happy camper and then woke up bright and early to present my research at the Women and Gender Symposium. Spent the day listening to speeches and came home to a slice of coconut cake, more birthday cards and a glass of milk.

 

“Birthdays are occasions for looking forward to the making of plans, for dreaming dreams, and hoping they will come true.”

Happy Birthday

May is the best month to be born.

I was born and Israel was born.

Israel will be celebrating its 60th Birthday this month. Communities around the world will be walking a mile in support of Israel.

http://walktheland.org/

http://walktheland.org/israel_video

Find a community near you and celebrate the birth of the Jewish Homeland.

Sacramento is hosting the walk on May 11. What a great way to celebrate Mother’s Day.