Pumpkin Cupcakes with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Pecans {Recipe}

Pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting... nothing beats that!
This recipe has a fluffy cream cheese icing, though, and it is so rich and tasty, it's worth the extra effort.
Top it off with a candied pecan (or a candy corn pumpkin for the kids), and you're set.

What You Need:
For the Cupcakes:
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup melted butter
½ cup apple sauce
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs (at room temperature)
½ cup buttermilk (or soured milk- ½ Tbsp. vinegar + ½ cup milk)
1- 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling)

For the Icing:
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1- 8 oz. block of cream cheese

For the Pecans: 
2-3 cups pecan halves (or other nuts)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
either 1 Tbsp. meringue powder + 3 Tbsp. water OR 1 egg white + 1 Tbsp. water

Yield: About 30-40 standard cupcakes

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Easy Pina Colada Cupcakes {Recipe}

Ahh, yes, drinks as cupcakes, what is better than this?!
Pina Colada Cupcakes. Very sweet. Very tasty!

What You Need:
1 box white cake mix
4 eggs
3 sticks butter, softened (1 1/2 cups)
1 14-oz can coconut milk (Do not shake it up!)
1 4-oz can crushed pineapple
1 cup sugar
2-3 Tbsp. Rum (optional)

*Yield: 18-24 standard-sized cupcakes

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Peanut Butter- Chocolate Chip Cookies {Recipe}

I've told you before that I'm not a big fan of traditional chocolate chip cookies. I know. I know. How un-American of me, but I'm just not. (Unless they're Sweet Martha's at the Fair.)
So, when my boys wanted some cookies to sell at their Lemonade Stand last weekend, I decided peanut butter chocolate chip would be the way to go.
These cookies are a little different because I used some ground oats in them to lighten up the texture and give them a nuttier flavor.

What You Need:
1 cup peanut butter (I prefer chunky)
1 cup butter (at room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more for dusting)
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cup flour
1 cup oats (toasted and ground)
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Yield: 2-3 dozen 3" cookies
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Cinnamon Apple Cut-Out Cookies {Recipe}

I like to start the school year off right... that means, for me, that I send in bribes gifts to my boys' teachers. This year, I tried these Cinnamon-Apple flavored cut-out cookies.

What You Need:
For the Cookies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg (at room temperature)
3 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate (defrosted)

For the icing
1 lb. powdered sugar (approx. 4 cups)
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate
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