Shakin & Bakin Foodie Blog

If you enjoy making homemade muffins, I think you're really going to enjoy our guest post recipe today that is courtesy of HUROM. They will take you some time to make...but look absolutely delicious! Perfect for a springtime brunch, dessert or church/school bake sale!

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Walnut Crumble Topping Recipe

Juicer:

1 medium apple (peeled, seeds removed)
1 medium orange (zest removed and reserved, peel removed)
110ml juice, 60g pulp

Crumble Toppings:

25g cup walnut pieces
60g cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Muffin:

60g brown sugar
60g butter (room temperature)
1 egg (room temperature)
150g flour
3g baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt
125g fresh or frozen cranberries

Prepare apple by peeling then chopping into 2 inch pieces. Prepare orange by removing zest with a citrus zester and reserving. Remove peel and cut into 4 pieces. Extract with your Hurom juicer using the coarse strainer, and set aside 110ml juice and 60g pulp.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add egg, juice & pulp, and cinnamon powder, and blend by hand. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in cranberries and orange zest.

Place liners in muffin pan, and fill each about 1/8 from the top. Evenly distribute crumble topping. Bake for 25 minutes at 400° F. Poke the middle of one with a toothpick to test for doneness.

Looking for a great homemade muffin recipe that incorporates the addition of healthy flax seeds? If so, I think you're going to really enjoy our guest post recipe today from the great folks over at Carrington Farms. Makes 12 to 24 muffins depending on how full you fill the muffin cups in your pan. The recipe can be easily doubled to make larger batches.

Apple and Flax Seed Muffins Recipe

1 and 1/4 cup Carrington Farms Organic Milled Flax Seed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar or sweetener
4 large eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup liquid (syrup or water)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 medium apple, chopped fairly finely
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 12-muffin tin very well. Mix the dry ingredients together, then add the rest of them. Let batter stand 10 minutes, then put into the muffin pan and bake for about 18 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and muffins just barely start to pull away from the sides of the tin.

Looking for something just a little bit different to make? How about this recipe which is a cross between a cake and a muffin? Today's guest post recipe is courtesy of Gaea. They would be perfect for any spring or holiday brunch!

Feta and Olive Oil Cakes Recipe

5.30 ounces (or a little less than ¾ cup) feta cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 1/4 Tbsp. honey
1/2 cup Gaea's Kalamata D.O.P. Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
3.50 ounces (or a little less than ½ cup) ground almonds
1 tsp. baking powder
Gaea Pitted Kalamata olives, cut in half
Brown sugar for garnishing

Preheat oven to 350F. Process the cheese with the sugar and honey in a mixer until smooth. Add olive oil. Combine flour with the ground almonds and baking powder and add to bowl while mixing. Divide batter among 6 greased one-use individual cake molds and top each with half an olive. Sprinkle top of batter with brown sugar and bake for about 25 minutes.

Once done, remove and let sit for an additional 3-5 minutes before serving. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

When it comes to baking, muffins are one of the easiest things to make. In addition, you will never get bored when it comes to making homemade muffins, because you can find thousands of different easy recipes online. You could seriously make a new version every day of the week!

Today's guest post recipe is courtesy of sister chefs Heather and Jenny at Spork Foods. It will make approximately 1 dozen.

Oatmeal Muffins with Pistachio Streusel Topping Recipe

Muffin Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegan butter
2/3 cup evaporated cane sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3/4 cup vegan sour cream
3/4 cups almond milk, curdled with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup un-bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground flax seeds
6 Setton Farms Pistachio Chewy Bites, roughly chopped

Streusel Topping Ingredients:

2 tablespoons evaporated cane sugar
1/4 cup chopped, Setton Farms roasted pistachio kernels
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1 tablespoon un-bleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon, ground cinnamon
Dash sea salt
1 tablespoon rolled oats

Pre-heat oven to 350°.

In a large mixing bowl, or electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together 1/2 cup butter and 2/3 cup sugar. Add maple syrup, sour cream, almond milk, vanilla extract and blend until uniform.

In a large bowl, combine flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and flax seeds. Whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and whisk until just mixed and uniform. Fold in Setton Farms Pistachio Chewy Bites. Set aside.

To create topping, pulse sugar, pistachios, butter, flour, cinnamon and sea salt in a food processor. Fold in oats. Set aside.

Grease a cupcake pan. Fill each cup with batter until 2/3 full. Top each muffin with streusel.

Bake 26-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool at least 15 minutes before removing from pan.

Every year we plant a few zucchinis in our backyard garden and every year...we get a huge crop of them! Throughout the growing season I make all kinds of recipes that utilize fresh zucchini and when I can't use them up quick enough...I shred them and freeze them for use during the winter.

Two weeks ago I picked 3 super-large zucchinis and got busy baking with them. One of the recipes that I made was my Grandma's Zucchini Muffins. These are moist muffins that are really delicious. In addition, once cool...you can freeze them for up to 3 months. We enjoy our warm and smothered in honey butter. The recipe will make about 20 muffins.

Grandma's Zucchini Muffins Recipe

3 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups peeled and grated zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

In a large mixing bowl sift together the all-purpose flour, salt, ground cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat together the large eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until blended. Fold in the grated zucchini.

Gradually mix-in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients using an electric mixer on medium speed until all ingredients have been combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease your cups. Pour batter into the cups, filling them 80% of the way full. Bake in a preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until done. You will know they are done when the tops spring-back and are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or cool & freeze them for up to 3 months.

In France, sweet treats have been an important part of holiday traditions for centuries, and this season, home cooks in America can impress their holiday guests by incorporating a new product from esteemed French dessert maker PrePat’33 into their Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year menus.

Filled with wholesome real ingredients, READY TO BAKE LIQUID BATTERS are inspired by actual French recipes. The handy pouches keep for up to a year in your cupboard and bake in 10 - 25 minutes, depending on which delicious treat you prepare. And the best part—no additional ingredients are needed. Simply pour the READY TO BAKE batter into a cake pan or muffin tin, and bake.

Chocolate Cake

Serve up one of these gourmet treats this holiday season—we dare your guests to detect that they’re not scratch-made!

* Caramel Salted Butter Lava Cake: Based on a traditional French recipe; contains gourmet salt from Brittany.
* Chocolate Lava Cake: Rich, decadent, ooey-gooey goodness.
* Chocolate Cake: Indulgent and loaded with real cocoa.
* Brownies: Bakes in about 25 minutes. A French take on an American classic.
* Gluten-free Brownies: Just because it’s gluten-free doesn’t mean it can’t be delicious!
* Blueberry Muffins: Bakes in about 25 minutes. Loaded with real blueberries.
My Thoughts: I love to bake and I primarily bake from scratch. One of the reasons I was a scratch baker was because I could never find pre-packaged baking mixes that tasted as good as homemade until now! After sampling the Ready to Bake Liquid Batters...I've completely have changed my mind!

For this review I received complimentary packages of the Blueberry Muffins, Brownies and the Chocolate Lava Cake to try out for all of you. One of the things that immediately impressed me about these baking mixes is that you need absolutely no other ingredients! The liquid batter is in a squeeze pouch and you simply open it up, put it into your prepared pan and bake according to directions. These things are fabulous for RV travelers like me because we can now bake on-the-road without having to drag along a ton of supplies and ingredients.
The first one that my family tried out was the Ready to Bake Lava Cakes. We decided to pour the batter into a muffin tin and fill the cavities about 1/2 full. We baked according to directions and once they were done...we left them cool for a few minutes and then dug-in. These are delicious when eaten warm. You can eat them all on their own or top them with some vanilla ice cream, frozen whipped topping or even a creamy yogurt spread. Delicious! These didn't last long!
A few days later we whipped up the Ready to Bake Blueberry Muffin Mix. One of the things that really impressed me with this one was the size of the blueberries! One of the reasons I always stayed clear of pre-packaged muffin mixes was because the fruit was always super miniature in size. Well, not with Ready to Bake muffin mixes! These blueberry muffins were moist and flavorful. Just be prepared though...this is a very thick and gooey batter. I had to spoon it into my muffin cups...but other than that, it's fabulous!
If chocolate lave cakes are a tad too sweet for you but yet...you love chocolate, I highly recommend you try out the Ready to Bake Brownies! You can make them in a brownie pan or a muffin pan. (I like using muffin pans and filling the cavities 1/2 way when I make brownies b/c it makes the perfect sized portions. These chocolate brownies have a moist cake-like texture to them. They're not a "wet" brownie and I really enjoyed these!

I can honestly tell you that my entire family enjoyed all three of these Ready to Bake Liquid Batter Baking Mixes! I am going to look for this brand in stores near me and pick up several of them to have on hand. Plus...when we get the RV out again next summer...you bet, I'll be taking these baking mixes on the road with me. Absolutely fantastic!

The READY TO BAKE LIQUID BATTER products are currently available at: Central Market stores in Texas, WINN DIXIE stores in Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina, Meijer stores in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois and you can find them in Fairway stores in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The products are also available for online order anytime through igourmet.com.

Disclosure: Shelly received complimentary samples of the products featured in this foodie review. No monetary compensation was received. Regardless of receiving free products, Shelly is sharing her 100% honest and unbiased opinion with her readers. Your opinion may differ.

Over the past 24+ years I've amassed a large cookbook collection. I love to cook but my main passion is baking...so the majority of the 300+ cook books that I own are within that niche. I was pretty excited to get a complimentary copy of the new "Baking with the Brass Sisters" to review for all of you.

Title: Baking with the Brass Sisters
Authors: Marilynn Brass and Sheila Brass
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: 978-1-250-06435-6

The "Baking with the Brass Sisters" is a hardcover cookbook with over 125 recipes for classic cakes, pies, cookies, breads, desserts and savories from America's favorite home bakers. At the beginning of the book is an entire section of baking terms explained, baking tips, food styling tips, etc. I really learned a lot by just reading that section of their book.

The cookbook is broken down nicely into 10 different chapters:

* Rise and Shine
* A Piece of Cake
* The Cookie Exchange
* Filling the Bread Basket
* Easy as Pie
* We Gather Together
* Teatimes and Coffee Hours
* Summertime Treats
* Make Mine Chocolate
* Something Savory

Within the pages of the cookbook you will find easy-to-make and delicious recipes like:

* Cheddar Poppy Seed Biscotti
* Chocolate Bread Pudding
* Lemon Chess Pie
* Lemon Drizzle Tea Cake
* Brown Sugar Brownies
* Buttery Maple Walnut Pie
* Salt & Pepper Potato Bread
* Polka Dot Chocolate Bars
* Almond Chiffon Cake
* Breakfast Corn Cake
* Irish Soda Bread
* Buckwheat Pancakes
* Orange Sponge Cake
* Plus many more!

One of the things I love about the "Baking with the Brass Sisters" cookbook is that all of the recipes are really easy-to-prepare and utilize commonly found ingredients. I don't have to make any trips to a specialty kitchen stop or gourmet grocer to pick up ingredients or supplies. It's a cook book for the everyday baker who wants delicious recipes to serve to their family or party guests. It's not lavish baking and I really appreciate that!

I'm really impressed with this cookbook and it's the first one that I own by these two authors. The foodie photography is amazing and gives you ideas on how to present & serve your newly created item. I give this cookbook a 9 out of 10 spoons on my rating scale. It's fantastic!

Disclosure: Shelly H. received a complimentary copy of this cookbook for review. No monetary compensation was received. Shelly's thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own, unbiased opinion about the product.

Have you ever wished you could extend the colorful, fresh harvest of the summer season all year long? With Wyman’s of Maine, it seems you can. In August, during the harvesting season of lowbush wild blueberries, Wyman’s freezes their crop within 24 hours of picking to offer the freshest wild blueberries throughout the year. And better yet, enjoying delicious wild blueberries from the freezer for breakfast, entrees, salads, and desserts is one of the best ways to get your required daily serving of fruit, integrate nutrients into your diet, and indulge in the taste of a summer past. Celebrate the end of wild blueberry harvest season, and enjoy an endless summer, with Wyman’s of Maine.

Is there a difference between wild and regular blueberries?
Yes! In fact, wild blueberries are much smaller than cultivated blueberries, with a more concentrated sweet and tart taste. They are called “wild” because they grow from a naturally occurring root system. The other “cultivated” blueberry is a high bush blueberry, growing on large bushes 8 feet tall. Wilds are exclusive to the regions of Maine and Eastern Canada, where large stretches of barrens produce this indigenous fruit.

Wild blueberries also have two times the amount of antioxidants as the cultivated variety due to their assortment of color and high skin-to-pulp ratio (the skin is where all of the concentrated antioxidants are stored). Again, since wild blueberries are so much smaller than their cultivated cousins, a cup may fit 80 cultivated blueberries in comparison to 150 wilds. That means the wild blueberry benefits are technically greater, since most of the nutrients are found within the skin.
Pumpkin Blueberry Muffins Recipe

I received a complimentary bag of Wyman's Organic Frozen Blueberries for review. I decided to whip up a batch of homemade pumpkin blueberry muffins. To make them...you can use your favorite pumpkin bread or muffin recipe (to make from scratch) or you can purchase a pre-packaged box mix. I do it both ways depending on time.

The bag I received for the review is a large resealable bag. I simply measured out 2 cups of the frozen blueberries and left them thaw for 30 minutes in my measuring cup as I mixed up my muffin batter. Once my batter was prepared...I used a silicone spatula and gently folded-in the organic blueberries until blended.

Spoon the batter into greased muffin cups or line your muffin pan with paper liners like I did. I then baked them in a 350 degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes. Once done...remove and let cool on a wire rack or serve them warm. We like our's served warm and smothered in honey butter. Delicious!

One of the things I love about Wyman's of Maine Fresh Frozen Blueberries is that they are frozen quickly. Their blueberries are some of the largest blueberries I've ever seen. They are big, plump and juicy...just like a high-quality blueberry should be! They are flavorful and are packed with delicious blueberry goodness! When using frozen blueberries in any recipe...Wyman's of Maine is my preferred brand. I love using them in various muffins, breads, cakes, pies and smoothie recipes and always obtain delicious results.

About Wyman’s: Founded in 1874 by Jasper Wyman, Wyman’s of Maine is a family owned company with generations of experience and leadership in growing and distributing wild blueberries. Wyman’s grows their wild blueberries on more than 10,000 acres of their own barrens, as well as in the fields of other growers from Maine and Eastern Canada. Over the course of many years, the company has perfected the science of fresh freezing fruit to maintain optimum flavor and nutritional benefits.

Disclosure: Shelly H. received a complimentary bag of Wyman's of Maine Blueberries. No monetary compensation was received. Shelly's thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own and were not influenced by the company.

This past summer I had a great crop of fresh red raspberries and a wonderful crop of large zucchinis. I ended up using a lot of both in various recipes, canning and freezing some for use during the winter months. With that said, a few weeks ago I whipped up a delicious batch of homemade Raspberry and Zucchini Muffins and my family went wild for them! I have to admit, they are addictive and delicious! The recipe will yield approximately 24 muffins.

Raspberry and Zucchini Muffins Recipe

3 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups peeled and grated zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup fresh red raspberries

In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs; then add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Beat until creamy.

In a second large mixing bowl sift together the all-purpose flour, salt, ground cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet mixture, beating with an electric mixer in-between each addition until all ingredients are well-combined. Beat in the shredded zucchini slowly until it is mixed in with all of the ingredients. Fold in the fresh red raspberries by hand until they have been distributed throughout the batter.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease each cup. Fill the cups 80% full with the batter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking in a preheated oven for 10-12 or until done. They will spring-back and have lightly browned tops. Remove and let cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

My backyard garden is off to a great start so far this growing season. Already this year I've picked a dozen bell peppers, 8 large zucchini, several tomatoes and a few sweet onions. The garden is doing extremely well so far!

Yesterday I decided to get busy and start using up some of my fresh zucchinis and whipped up a batch of homemade chocolate zucchini muffins. Because you are using freshly grated/shredded zucchini, these muffins are really moist and delicious!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe

4 cups zucchini, grated
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat together the granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract until well blended. Stir in the grated zucchini, beating after each addition. I like to split mine into thirds which makes it easier on my electric mixer.

Gradually beat in the flour mixture to the wet mixture until all ingredients are well-combined. Lightly grease a muffin tin with butter or line baking pan with paper liners.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon batter into cups, filling them 80% of the way full. Place baking pan into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until done. Cool on wire rack.

Every week I love trying out new homemade muffin recipes for my family to enjoy. Last week I got a bag of dried wild natural blueberries and wanted to try them out in a muffin recipe. Typically I will make blueberry muffins but this time around I was also craving banana so I combined the two into a delicious creation! They are a cake-like muffin that is really moist & flavorful.

Sometimes I make double batches and fully bake, then let them cool and you can freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer storage container or plastic freezer bag. If you like honey butter, I highly suggest drizzling melted honey butter of the tops. YUMMY!

Homemade Banana Blueberry Muffins Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 large (or 4 small) ripe bananas
1/2 cup small dried blueberries
1/2 cup Domino Light Sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 12-cup muffin pans, or line with paper baking cups, set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, combine the peeled bananas and Domino Light Sugar, beating for about 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, large eggs and the vanilla extract, beat well. Reduce the speed and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the small dried natural blueberries.

Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups until three quarters of the way full. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Let muffins cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

When I make these homemade corn bread muffins I like to double up the batch ingredients and bake two batches a time. The reason that I do this is because once they are baked and cooled, they freeze well. You can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to have them on those busy weeknights you can thaw them out quickly and reheat them in your oven or microwave. We like to drizzle melted butter or melted honey butter over the top of them before serving.

Mom's Corn Bread Muffins Recipe

1 cup corn meal
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs, well beaten
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. When I bake these I bake them in paper muffin cup liners because I like to freeze them for later use. If you are not using liners, you will want to spray your muffin pan lightly with some nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl sift together the corn meal, all purpose flour, salt and the baking powder until well blended. In another large mixing bowl beat together the granulated sugar, large eggs, vegetable oil and the milk until well combined. The batter will be a little lumpy.

Spoon batter into muffin tin filling the cups 2/3 of the way full. They will expand during the baking process a little bit. If you want really tall muffins, fill them 3/4 of the way full. Place baking pan into a preheated hot oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until done. Remove and let muffins cool on a wire rack.

If serving them immediately let them sit for 3 to 4 minutes before serving. If you are going to freeze some of them, let them cool completely and then place them into a plastic freezer container, label and freeze.

Note: You can print out this recipe by clicking on the "share" button located at the bottom of this post. Once you click on the button, find the PRINT button and the recipe will load into a new window for printing.

I love homemade muffins and one of my favorite flavors to make is...Blueberry! During the Spring, Summer and Fall seasons, I use fresh blueberries in my muffin recipe and then during the winter season, I use frozen. (buy extra in the summertime and freeze them for the winter).

The following recipe is one that I got from my grandmother years ago and to this day, I make it all of the time!

Grandma's Homemade Blueberry Muffins Recipe

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

* If using frozen: thaw and drain away the liquid

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until creamy. Add in the large eggs and beat until combined. Sift together the all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Add the sifted ingredients to the batter, alternating with the milk. Fold in the fresh or thawed blueberries until well combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill a greased muffin tin 2/3 full or use paper lined muffin cups. Sprinkle a little extra sugar on top. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes or until done.

I love to bake and I usually bake from scratch. With that said, my sister was telling me about a homemade Banana Muffins "Cheater" Recipe that she likes to use when she is pressed for time & doesn't have an hour or two to spend baking from scratch.

For this recipe...you will use a boxed mix of white or yellow cake mix!

Homemade Banana Muffins Recipe

1 box Yellow or White Cake Mix
(eggs, water and vegetable oil - as directed on the back of the cake mix box)
3 to 4 ripe bananas

I decided to try out her cheater recipe by using a box of Duncan Hines yellow cake mix. I followed the directions on the back of the box and added in the rest of the ingredients. I then took 3 ripe bananas and mashed them up, then stirred them into the muffin batter.

I lined my muffin tin with paper muffin wrappers and filled each cavity 85% of the way full. I placed the muffin tin into the oven and baked them at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes or until they were done. Once done, I left them cool slightly and buttered them up with some organic honey butter.

Wow...these muffins are delicious! They are very moist and flavorful! Next time around I will try out the recipe using a box of white cake mix to see if I get the same yummy results! (and...I might throw in some semi-sweet chocolate chips as we love chocolate chip banana muffins too!).

I saved about 15 minutes of baking time by using a boxed cake mix as my base and I certainly dirtied a lot less dishes in the preparation process! LOVE...this cheater recipe! Enjoy!

For many of us, we purchase and use boxed cake mixes to save us time when we need to bake a homemade cake or a batch of cupcakes. However, that same box of prepared cake mix can be doctored up and used in so many different ways.

Our goal today is to not give you boxed cake mix cheater recipes, but to point out all of the different ways you can use a boxed cake mix. In most of these instances, you will need to add a few additional ingredients to the cake mix to turn it into something wonderful.

1. Quick Breads
2. Cake-Like Cookies and Bars
3. Cake-Like Brownies
4. Muffins
5. Cake Pops
6. Cupcakes
7. Whoopie Pies
8. Ice Cream Sandwiches
9. Sheet Cakes, Layer and Bundt Cakes
10. Fruit Pudding Dessert Cakes
11. Dessert Tortes
12. Cream-Filled Snack Cakes
13. Fruit Cobbler or Fruit Crisp
14. Homemade Cake Donuts

As you can see, you can really turn that boxed cake mix into something special with just a little creativity and a few additional ingredients. I find it best to keep a box of white, chocolate and yellow cake mixes in my pantry at all times. When the need arises, I can select one of the three, make some additions and bake something delicious for my family on short notice.

You can find some boxed cake mix cheater recipes right here on my blog or do a web search using your favorite search engine to find them.

This article is copyright 2012 by Shelly Hill ~ Owner of the Shakin 'N Bakin Foodie Blog. All Rights Reserved. 

Today I am sharing with all of you one of my family's favorite homemade muffins recipe which I try to make every few weeks for them. This recipe will make 12 regular sized muffins. We love to make these muffins and have them with our morning coffee or as a snack in the afternoon with some hot tea. This recipe will make 12 regular sized muffins.

Homemade Oatmeal Raisin Muffins Recipe

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
1 large egg
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup juicy plump raisins

In a large mixing bowl combine together the all-purpose flour, salt and baking powder until well blended. Stir in the quick-cooking oatmeal, set aside. In another large mixing bowl beat together the melted butter, milk, large egg and brown sugar until well blended and smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture gradually and blend until all ingredients are well combined. Stir in the plump raisins.

Lightly grease your muffin pan or use paper muffin cup lines. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake muffins in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until done.

I love making and baking this fabulous recipe from homemade Raisin and Bran Muffins for my family. They are great in the morning for breakfast alongside our coffee or enjoy them late in the afternoon with a cup of hot tea.

Raisin and Bran Muffins Recipe

3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups toasted bran flake cereal
1 cup toasted wheat germ
1 cup light brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup water
2 large eggs, well-beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup light molasses
2 cups plump and juicy raisins

Combine the whole wheat flour, bran flakes, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl, mix well. Combine buttermilk, water, large eggs, oils, honey and molasses in a a large mixing bowl and blend well. Add to the flour mixture, stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the plump and juicy raisins. Pour into glass container. Cover and store in refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease or line muffin cups. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them 1/2 way full. Bake in a hot oven for 20-22 minutes or until done. Remove and let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Today I am sharing with all of you this delicious recipe for Banana Nut Muffins from the great folks over at Domino Sugar. This recipe doesn't use regular granulated sugar, it uses the new Domino Light Sugar which is a blend of pure sugar cane and Stevia. I made these muffins a few weeks ago and they were moist, flavorful and delicious! This recipe will make approximately 2 dozen average sized muffins.

Banana Nut Muffins Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 large (or 4 small) ripe bananas
1/2 cup Domino Light Sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 12-cup muffin pans, or line with paper baking cups, set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, combine the peeled bananas and Domino Light Sugar, beating for about 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, large eggs and the vanilla extract, beat well. Reduce the speed and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chopped nuts.

Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups until half full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Let muffins cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Living here in Pennsylvania I am very fortunate that I can grow raspberries, blueberries and blackberries right here in my own backyard. This recipe can be used with any of those fruits and I have used all three in this particular muffin recipe and they all turn out wonderful. I love to make these muffins and enjoy them warmed up in the morning with my coffee or in the late afternoon with some hot tea. They are delicious and very moist!

Homemade Wild Blueberry Muffins Recipe

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh washed blueberries
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1/3 cup butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Gently stir in the blueberries. Stir in the milk, large egg and melted butter until all ingredients are combined. Do not over mix the batter! (it will be slightly lumpy).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon the muffin batter into lightly greased muffin cups or cups that have been lined with paper muffin cups. Bake in the oven for 19 to 24 minutes or until done.

Today I am sharing with you my great aunt's homemade Sour Cream Muffins recipe. This is a really simple recipe and you only need a few basic ingredients to make them. They have a nice light and airy texture to them and are super moist and flavorful. A great everyday muffin recipe. They are great served with butter, apple butter, jam or a fruit preserve.

Homemade Sour Cream Muffins Recipe

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup whole or 2% milk

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix all-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda in large bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center of mixture. Beat egg in small bowl. Add sour cream and milk. Add to flour mixture, mixing just until moistened.

Spoon into greased muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 full or line a muffin pan with paper muffin cup liners. Bake for 12-15 minutes in a 375 degree oven until done. Serve immediately.