Cinco de Mayo is this Saturday and I thought it would be nice to share a fun recipe that’s a total palate-pleaser for the holiday: Corona Cupcakes! A friend of mine showed me the recipe and I couldn’t resist sharing it with all of you… While there is an endless variety of recipes for this beer-based cupcake online, my friend suggested I use this one from Erica’s Sweet Tooth.

I gave the recipe a try and sure enough, they turned out as yummy as they sound. The taste is very interesting—it has the sweetness of a normal vanilla cupcake, but the flavor is amped up a notch with hints of lime and Corona. I know it sounds strange, but they are really great! Trust me. 

If you’re planning on celebrating Cinco de Mayo this weekend, I suggest whipping up these bad boys for your friends and family. I promise, they will be a hit with everyone! 

Here is the recipe from Erica’s Sweet Tooth (adapted from Miss Make)…

Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients for the Cupcakes

• 3/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1-3/4 cup sugar
• 2-1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp lime zest
• 1 cup Corona beer, plus more for brushing on tops
• 1/4 cup milk
• Lime wedges

Instructions for the Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add eggs, beating after each addition then add the vanilla and zest.
5. Combine milk and beer and alternatively add this mixture and the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture with the mixer on low speed, starting and ending with the flour.  
6. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 18 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. {I made a batch of full size cupcakes and a batch of minis too. For some reason, everything tastes better when it's small! If you do make the mini version, bake for half the time and check them frequently since they cook much faster.}
7. When cupcakes are done, poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes with toothpicks and brush some beer on each while still warm.  

Ingredients for the Citrus Frosting

• 12 oz cream cheese, cold
• 6 tbsp butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions for the Frosting

1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.  
2. Add the citrus juice and zest and gradually add the powdered sugar until combined.  Beat until smooth for about 2 minutes.
3. Load frosting in a piping bag fit with a large star tip and pipe cupcake tops once cooled. {I only ended up putting a little squggle of frosting on my final batch becuase the frosting was so rich, so just test it out and see what works best for you!}

Serve the cupcakes with a cold Corona or a tall glass of milk and enjoy! 

Are you going to give these boozed up cupcakes a try?

XO Lauren



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If I had to pick one flavor to describe fall it would undoubtedly be pumpkin. Pumpkin pie to be exact. When I came across this recipe for "Pumped Up Pumpkin Pie Bites" I couldn’t resist. Not only is it a great alternative to traditional pumpkin pie, but I’m also a sucker for bite-size treats. These little nibbles are relatively healthy compared to regular pie. Just 94 calories for two bites. Not bad for dessert, right? Plus, they are the perfect dessert to serve if you’re having a Thanksgiving gathering and need to accommodate a lot of guests.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

Pumpkin Pie Bites

Makes 32 bites

Note: When making the crust for this recipe, it might, at first, look like the crumbs won’t cover the bottom of the pan, but trust me, they will! The easiest way to distribute them evenly is to use a small piece of parchment paper, and gently press the cereal mixture until you get a nice even layer.

Ingredients

• Butter-flavored cooking spray
• 3/4 cups all-natural, whole-grain, crunchy, high-fiber, low-sugar cereal (I used Kashi 7 Whole Grain Nuggets)
• 2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 large egg whites
• 15-ounce can (1-¾ cups) solid pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup agave nectar
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
• 2-½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-¼ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 32 teaspoons whipped topping, divided (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11” x 7” glass or ceramic baking dish with spray.
2. Add the cereal to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Process it for 15-20 seconds, or until the cereal is crushed. Transfer it to a small mixing bowl and add the maple syrup and cinnamon. Mix them until well combined (the mixture should be slightly sticky). Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Using a small piece of parchment paper, gently press down on the cereal mixture, spreading it evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Bake the crust for 7-9 minutes, or until it is slightly browned. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl. Using a sturdy whisk, lightly beat them until they bubble very slightly. Still using the whisk, stir in the pumpkin, agave, and flour until well combined. Stir in the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt and continue mixing until well combined. Pour the filling over the baked crust. Using a rubber spatula, spread it into an even layer.
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry (a few crumbs are okay). Transfer the dish to a wire cooking rack, allowing it to cool to room temperature. Carefully cut 32 pumpkin “bites” (3 cuts along the width of the pan, 7 cuts along the length, creating 4x8 bites).
5. Just before serving, top each bite with 1 teaspoon whipped topping, if desired. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

What’s your favorite pumpkin flavored treat?

XO Lauren

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Source: Reprinted from The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook by Devin Alexander (c) 2010 by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. The Biggest Loser (TM) and NBC Studios, Inc., and Reveille LLC. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc.

Photo: Alexandra Grablewski

When a warm, gooey, delicious cookie calls, bring out your waffle iron. I was on Pinterest a few days ago (one of my newest obsessions) and I came across the cutest idea: bake a quick batch of cookies using a waffle maker! Genius. It’s the perfect solution when you don’t want a full batch of cookies or want cook a few up after dinner. I also think they would be adorable to serve to guests with small bowl of ice cream… 

The idea for these cookies is based off of a recipe in Dessert Express. Simply mix up the batter and refrigerate or freeze it until you get a cookie craving. When that sweet tooth strikes, pull out the dough and your waffle iron and voila—you have toasty, melty cookies in a matter in seconds. 

I made the waffle cookies and they were absolutely delicious, just as promised! I based my recipe on the a recipe from Fine Cooking (this will make about 12 cookies), but changed a few of the measurements:

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (try not to use instant)
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Optional: Add a handful of walnuts (I did this and it was delicious!)

Cookie Dough Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter and brown sugar until smooth.
2. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Continue to whisk.
3. Add in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir well.
4. Lastly, add in oats and chocolate chips (and walnuts, if you’re using them) and mix.

Cooking Directions

1. Heat waffle iron. (Note: I suggest waiting until you’ve mixed up the batter since waffle irons can get too hot if left heating for too long, which will burn the cookies!)

2. Coat griddle with cooking spray.

3. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough onto each waffle square.

4. Close iron and cook until set for about 90 seconds. (The first batch took about 90 seconds, but as the griddle got hotter they needed less and less time!)

5. Using a pair of tongs, carefully remove the waffle cookie from the iron and transfer onto a wire rack to cool.

6. Repeat, let cool and enjoy! My roommates and I enjoyed a few while they were still warm in a bowl with vanilla ice cream… Let’s just say, they were divine.

The cookies will keep for about 2-3 days in an airtight container…

Next time I might try making them with a snicker doodle recipe and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top!

Will you waffle your cookies?

If you give this recipe a try, share a photo of your fete by uploading it to your profile page and linking it in the comments below! I’ll do a Member Spotlight with the best submissions!

Happy baking!

XO Lauren