Two sides to baking: healthy(ish) to downright indulgent

Who doesn't love a spot of baking now and again. I love finding recipes that I can't wait to try, and often don't wait very long to test it out. I actually try not to bake sweets too often because with just me and my partner in the house, it's a lot to get through. Nice when having company though, or bringing into work to share. 

Anyway, I just wanted to share a few recipes I made lately, along the spectrum of somewhat healthy to downright sinful.

My courgette/zucchini loaf (above) with cream cheese frosting is a bit of both. The loaf itself is chocked full of goodness with whole wheat flour, coconut and grated courgette - and you could easily forgo the frosting, but I happened to have leftover from a cake I made for work. Most recipes I found yielded two loaves, but I only wanted one, so I halved everything.

The Healthy Side

Guilt-free cookies:

(from 101cookbooks, called Nikki's healthy cookies RECIPE)

They were delicious, great bite size morsels and were a really big hit at home and in the office. In Heidi's cookbook (super natural every day) she calls them carnival cookies and they are pretty much the same but with the inclusion of popcorn! I will need to try that version asap.

The Sinful Side

Cookie dough stuffed cupcakes:

(to be honest I can't quite remember what recipe I used for these, but it was close enough to THIS RECIPE)

 Who doesn't love cookie dough? Why not pop some into a cupcake, no brainer! I made these for some kind of get together, and while they were rich, they were great treats. If you're going to indulge, go big or go home. Use your favourite cookie dough recipe, and whatever flavour cake or frosting you want, you can't really go wrong. I baked my cupcakes until almost done, then popped the cookie dough on top and finished baking, but I have seen recipes where they put the raw cookie dough in after baking, so whatever you'd prefer really!

 

Triple lemon & coconut cupcakes

Triple lemon & coconut cupcakes

[lemon cake, lemon curd stuffed, and lemon & coconut frosting]

I made these for C's birthday last year, he liked them so much he requested them again for this year! 

I mismatched a couple recipes I found online, one from Ina Garten (coconut lemon cupcakes) and one from Taste of Home (lemon coconut cupcakes), along with the idea of filling the cupcakes with a dollop of lemon curd before frosting.

 The resulting cupcakes were delicious, just sweet enough with the frosting and coconut, with the tart lemon coming through from the zest and the lemon curd. Doesn't take long to put together either, I used store bought lemon curd, but you can always make your own. I also used the leftover lemon curd to make a mousse the next week, just by whipping the lemon curd up with some cream and sugar and leaving it in the fridge to set.

 

The resulting recipe looked something like this: 

CUPCAKES:

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups sugar 

3 teaspoons grated lemon peel

5 eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

 

FILLING: 

1 cup of Lemon curd

FROSTING:  

4 ounces cream cheese, softened 

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice 

1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar 

3/4 cup flaked coconut, divided

1) Preheat oven to 325F. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about five minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mix in vanilla extract.

2) Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

3) Fill your cupcake liners with batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

4) FROSTING: while the cupcakes are baking, beat the cream cheese, butter, grated lemon peel, vanilla and lemon juice until fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth; stir in 1/4 cup coconut.

5) Allow cupcakes to cool for 15-20 minutes

6) Cut out small holes in the top of the cupcakes (you can use a paring knife) and fill with a teaspoon or so of lemon curd.

7) Frost by putting frosting in a freezer bag with a hole cut out of the corner. Top with coconut flakes for garnish.