First post...take a deep breath...and dig in!

My first post as a food blogger! I will not hesitate to admit here and now that I'm a bit obsessed with food-which is reflected in my occupation and my new blog. To start off, I love to bake-moreso than cooking. Cooking doesn't have enough rules for my liking. Though I'm getting more comfortable with the creative aspects of cooking AND baking! To give an example of this, here's my first recipe I improvised a bit. In the future I will have more pictures of the whole process (making the recipe, baking, assembling, etc.).

My mom used to make pumpkin muffins for us every year in the fall. This year I wanted to take them up a notch with my own invention: Eggnog butter cream frosting. 

Pumpkin Muffins:

2 cups canned pumpkin

4 beaten eggs

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a muffin tin with muffin papers (or lightly grease muffin tin-I prefer to use cupcake/muffin papers). 

Unlike most muffins, I do not beat the ingredients until just incorporated. I mix ALL ingredients together at the same time until smooth-at least for this recipe. It's more of a cake than a muffin-but if you call it a pumpkin "muffin" you can have it for breakfast...right?

Combine all ingredients until smooth and pour into tin lined with muffin/cupcake papers or lightly greased muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Eggnog Butter-Cream Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp milk (or half and half if you want it to be super rich)

3 Tbsp eggnog (or more-to taste)

4 cups (or more) powdered sugar

Fresh Nutmeg for garnish (optional)

Pecan Halves for garnish (optional)

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add vanilla. Alternate powdered sugar and liquid (milk and eggnog) until all of your ingredients or added or until your frosting has reached a smooth spreadable consistency. Top off with a sprinkle of nutmeg and a pecan half if you like. Pour a warm cup of coffee or tea and you have yourself a delicious Autumn treat!

 

So that was my first post-not too bad? I've got tons of ideas for new cupcake recipes that I'll be trying out next week-be sure to come back and check them out! Until then...bake, eat and be merry!