Who loves apples? Apple are plentiful all year long! Did you know: apples are high in pectin - a soluble fiber that lowers blood pressure and glucose levels, and can even lower the "bad" cholesterol in the body; boron, also found in abundance in apples, supports bone and brain health; apples also have vitamins A, C, E. and beta carotene! So it seems there may be some truth to the old adage, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."
Of course, the healthiest form is simply a whole apple. But for a fun and yummy twist, try our Applesauce Muffins . . . and decorate them to look like the real thing. Your kids will eat 'em up!
Of course, the healthiest form is simply a whole apple. But for a fun and yummy twist, try our Applesauce Muffins . . . and decorate them to look like the real thing. Your kids will eat 'em up!
Fun and Easy Applesauce Muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups applesauce
- 2 cups raisin bran cereal
- 2 1/2 cups flour - I use half whole wheat and half unbleached all-purpose
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- For decorating: vanilla frosting, red food coloring, pretzel sticks, gummy worms
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- In a medium bowl, stir together eggs, applesauce, and cereal - Let stand 10 minutes.
- Stir brown sugar and oil into cereal mixture until combined.
- Meanwhile, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl.
- All at once, add cereal mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened - mixture will be thick
- Scoop muffin batter into the muffin cups till about 2/3 full.
- To give the muffins a little bit of an apple shape, place a glass marble or a balled-up piece of aluminum foil in between the liner and the pan (save this trick for heart-shaped muffins for Valentine's Day . . . or any day!
- Bake for 18 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely.
How to make the topping:
- Stir together half a tub of vanilla frosting - save the rest for another batch of cupcakes or just eat it by the spoonful while watching reality TV . . . your choice
- Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and several drops of red food coloring - We went more "Pink Lady" than "Red Delicious."
- Frost the cupcakes.
- Break pretzel sticks in half and insert one at the top of each muffin
- Cut the gummy worms in half and stick one half on the top of each muffin - Cute huh?
Enjoy!
