1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup finely chopped carrots (about 1 large carrot) – this is easiest to do in a food processor
1 cup overripe banana (about 2 bananas), mashed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 medium lemon
1 cup apples (whatever kind you prefer), peeled & rough-chopped
cinnamon cream cheese frosting (recipe below)

in a med bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda & baking powder.

in a lg bowl, mix honey, sugar, carrots, bananas, butter, eggs, vanilla & lemon zest until well combined.

add flour a little bit at a time, mixing until just combined.

fold in apples.

fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.

bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry.

frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting

CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (add more to taste)
2-3 cups 10x sugar (to desired consistency)

mix cream cheese & butter well.

add vanilla & cinnamon.

add 10x sugar.

makes about 14 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup browm sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp lemon extract
2 1/2 cups apples, roughly chopped & loosely packed (you can chop more finely if you desire)

in a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda & ginger.

beat butter & sugars in a lg bowl until light & fluffy.

beat in eggs, sour cream & lemon extract until blended.

mix in flour mixture.

fold in apples.

divide batter evenly among 12 cupcake liners (they will be filled almost all the way to the top).

bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the cupcake clean.

makes 12 cupcakes

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups grenadine

in a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder & baking soda. set aside.

in another medium bowl, beat butter & sugar until light & fluffy.

beat eggs, milk & grenadine into the butter/sugar mixture until blended.

fold in flour mixture.

fill cupcake liners all the way to the top.

bake at 350° for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

SHIRLEY TEMPLE GLAZE

1/2 cup 10x sugar
2 tbs grenadine
1/4 tsp lemon extract
red food coloring (optional)
maraschino cherries (optional)

mix 10x sugar, grenadine & lemon extract.

optionally add red food coloring a few drops at a time until you love the color.

spread on cooled cupcakes.

optionally, just before serving, top cupcakes with maraschino cherries.

makes 12 cupcakes

1/3 cup coconut rum (OR any rum you have on hand)
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tsp vanilka
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup + 3 tbs sugar
3 lg eggs
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup crushed pineapple

in a small bowl, combine rum, coconut milk, pineapple juice & vanilla. set aside.

in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda & salt. set aside.

in a lg bowl, beat butter & sugar until light & fluffy.

add eggs to the sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition.

alternately add the flour mixture & the rum mixture, beating well after each addition.

fold in the coconut & pineapple.

fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.

bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until the cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

COCONUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

(Double this recipe if you like lots of frosting)

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups 10x sugar
3 tbs coconut cream

mix cream cheese & butter until light & fluffy.

mix in 10x sugar a little bit at a time.

mix in coconut cream.

pipe or spread on cupcakes.

makes 18 cupcakes

1 (14 oz) jar spiced apple rings
6 tbs butter OR margarine, softened, divided
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
whipped cream, optional

drain the apple rings, reserving 1 tbs syrup; set apple rings aside. melt 2 tbs butter; add brown sugar & reserved syrup. spread evenly in a greased 8″ round baking pan; sprinkle with almonds. top with apple rings; set aside.

in a mixing bowl, beat egg, milk, vanilla & remaining butter. combine flour, sugar & baking powder; add to egg mixture & mix well. spoon over apple rings.

bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. let stand for 5 minutes. run a knife around the edge of the pan; invert cake onto a serving plate. cool. serve with whipped cream if desired.

6-8 servings

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 lg eggs
1/2 cup strawberry yogurt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 bananas)
1/2 cup macerated strawberries
1/2 cup dried pineapple, loosely chopped
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, loosely chopped

preheat oven to 350°.

cream butter & sugar in a lg bowl.

mix in eggs, yogurt, flour & baking soda.

stir in bananas, strawberries, pineapple, chocolate chips & walnuts.

fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.

bake for 25 minutes or until the tops bounce back when lightly touched.

BANANA WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 over-ripe banana, mashed*
chocolate syrup, to taste
1/2 cup bananas, thinly sliced
18 cherries, pitted

*a non-ripened banana can be used by microwaving it for 45 seconds (or until it is soft, but not liquid), then letting it return to room temperature.

whip heavy cream & sugar until light & fluffy.

mix in mashed banana until just combined.

frost cupcakes.

drizzle with chocolate syrup.

top with walnuts, banana slices & a cherry.

makes 18 cupcakes

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 jar caramel ice cream topping
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 lg container cool whip, thawed
1 butterfinger candy bar, crushed

prepare cake in a 9″x13″ cake pan according to pkg directions. immediately after removing cake from oven, poke holes all over the top of the cake with a fork. mix sweetened condensed milk & caramel ice cream topping together. pour over hot cake, spreading evenly over the entire cake. chill well. after the cake has chilled completely, spread cool whip over the top. sprinkle crushed butterfinger on top of the cool whip.