The EASIEST Pumpkin Muffins

So - I heard that you could make muffins using ONLY a cake mix (any kind - chocolate, white, spice, etc.) and a can of pumpkin in place of the eggs and oil.  I was VERY skeptical.  Come on.  No oil?  No Eggs?  Yeah right.  I was POSITIVE that they would turn out dry and would fall apart.  I've had this in the back of my head for a while, but last night as I was looking through the pantry to see if I needed to make a quick late night run to the store so that we would have food to eat on Sunday, when I saw a yellow cake mix, and a can of pumpkin.  I thought - why not try it?

I dumped the cake mix and the pumpkin in to my Kitchenaid Mixer and mixed it up.  The batter was thick and reminded me of pumpkin cookie dough.  So - I thought for about a half of a second and dumped some chocolate chips into the batter for good measure.

Man, was I surprised when these turned out moist and delicious!  They were seriously the easiest baking I have ever done.  The next morning my husband ate a few for breakfast and RAVED about how good they were!  Such an easy breakfast!

The EASIEST Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

1 15oz can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 box of yellow cake mix

1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray.

Mix the pumpkin and cake mix together with an electric mixer until well combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Put about 1/4 cup of batter in each muffin cup.  I use an ice cream scoop to measure mine.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container.

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Recipe Review....hot chocolate cupcakes

So we all pin pin pin on pinterest these LOVELY pictures of food and recipes floating around the pinterest cyber space right? But what ones are actually good? Seriously folks- lots of blogs and recipes out there we need to sift through. right?
I tried a cupcake recipe this week that I pinned, and then a thousand other people pinned after me. What did I think?

the batter: simple to make. whipped up nice and easy.
The cooked batter- the cup cake- it was dense cake.{not saying this is a bad thing, just saying}
 and I think I over cooked mine-even though I was watching it like a hawk.
 I had a very happy boy who was very happy with the batter

the frosting...WAY to much butter. 3 sticks of unsalted butter!
and I like salted butter better.
If you have a buttercream recipe you love use that and just add 1tsp of peppermint extract.
otherwise- the recipe on the back of the powdered sugar bag is great too...
1 stick butter 4 cups powder sugar milk as needed.

overall, I really like them. Loved them? I will make them again. I think time will tell if I love this recipe.
you?

do you have any that are great from pinterest?

HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
from the Cakeblog

Hot chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream
(makes 20 cupcakes)

For the cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 packet Hot Chocolate mixed with 3/4 cup warm milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In bowl of stand mixer combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients: eggs, hot chocolate/milk mixture, vegetable oil and vanilla.
4. Beat on medium speed until well combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
5. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
6. Bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
8. Once cupcakes are completely cool frost with Peppermint Buttercream and garnish with Peppermint Bark.

For the icing:
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
6 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/4 – 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1. In bowl of stand mixer beat butter until creamy.
2. Gradually add in confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
3. Add milk until you reach desired consistency.
4. Add peppermint extract and mix well.
5. Place icing in piping bag fitted with a large round tip and frost cupcakes.
6. Garnish cupcakes with Peppermint Bark and white nonpareils (optional).

Peppermint Bark:
12 oz Chocolate Bark
12 oz Vanilla Bark
20 mini candy canes, crushed
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
2. Melt chocolate bark in microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Continue to microwave at 15 second intervals until melted. Pour melted chocolate onto prepared baking sheet and spread evently with a spatula. Let chocolate harden for about 30 minutes.
3. Melt vanilla bark in microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Continue to microwave at 15 second intervals until melted.
4. Add peppermint extract to melted vanilla and stir. Pour melted vanilla overtop of hardened chocolate and spread evenly with a spatula.
5. Sprinkle crushed candy canes ontop of candy bark.
6. Allow bark to harden for about 30 minutes before breaking into pieces. Garnish cupcakes

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