I love holidays! I love cooking for holidays, decorating for holidays and entertaining for holidays. I like to make every holiday possible, a little special event, especially with my cooking!  My niece tells me, I should make my house by the bay  like the house in  ” Holiday Inn”. This is a  classic movie with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Bing Crosby’s character in the film , moves to Connecticut and buys a country inn. Bing turns the inn into a super club  open only on the holidays and is off the rest of the year. If I could make that work, believe me, I would do it. With my love of holidays out in the open, you can be sure that I will be blogging recipes before each holiday in order for you to celebrate. With Halloween arriving in few days here are two treats to make. Start the morning right with pumpkin muffins. With anticipation of the day ahead, get the holiday going with this tasty treat, the aroma in your home will be intoxicating. The next recipe is a devil foods  cupcake with cream cheese icing the kids and adults will love it. Trick or treat!

From by the bay, wishing you treats and fond food memories!
Maryann

Pumpkin Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

 

Muffin batter

1 ¾ cup flour

¾ cup fine granulated sugar

½ cup dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

2/3 cup sour cream

½ cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon honey

2 eggs

½ cup pumpkin puree

Topping

1 tablespoon fine granulated sugar

½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

In a small bowl mix topping by combining sugar and cinnamon and set aside. In another bowl mix together dry ingredient s of sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and ginger. Using another bowl combine sour cream, oil, honey, eggs and pumpkin puree. Whisk together. Add ingredients to the dry ingredients in the other bowl. Mix until incorporated, batter will be lumpy don’t over mix. Take a lined 12 muffin tin and fill each muffin tin to 2/3 with batter. Top the batter with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 20-22 minutes or until tester comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Halloween Devil Food Cup Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

12 cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

2 squares melted chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add egg and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk and vanilla and beat well. Melt chocolate squares in microwave, heat 30 seconds remove and stir with a spoon until melted. If chocolate is not completely melted repeat process.  Cool for 5 minutes and add into the batter combining well.  Place paper liners into a 12 muffin tin. Place batter into each cup until about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Keep in airtight container until ready to frost and eat.

Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk substitute 2/3 cup milk with one tablespoon of white vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.

 Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup confectionery sugar

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Mix the above ingredients until smooth. Keep in air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to frost and eat the cupcakes. After you frost the cupcakes decorate with sprinkles, crush candy or chocolate cookies.