Apricot Amaretto Cupcakes

I saw a pretty picture of a vanilla cupcake in a magazine that had an apricot filling and an apricot slice on top. I think it was in Southern Living Magazine that my mother always hands down to me (she gets it even though we live in Connecticut). The recipe in the magazine was very basic, but it did give me an idea for these cupcakes which are anything but ordinary. 

 I started out trying to figure out an ingredient that would spice up a vanilla cupcake and blend in with the apricot on top. I also wanted to keep them very elegant so I could serve them for a formal dessert,  and simple since that is the way I like to bake.  I reached for one of my gluten free vanilla cake mixes, and then went and searched for something interesting in the liquor cabinet. I lucked out and had a small amount of Amaretto left and gave it a try. 

 The results were amazing!  Just the right amount of sweetness and flavor from the amaretto and a nice fruit burst in your mouth from the fresh apricot baked into the top. A sprinkle of powdered sugar made them look pretty too.

Recipe:

Apricot Amaretto Cupcakes

1 Package Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup Amaretto Liqueur

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 ripe apricot

powdered sugar 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl combine the milk and vinegar, let sit 5 minutes. Add cake mix, Amaretto, and oil. Whisk about 15 seconds until smooth. Divide among the 12 muffin cups.

Cut the apricot into quarters then each quarter into thirds so you have 12 thin slices of fruit. Place a slice of fruit on top of each muffin. Bake the muffins 23-28 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely. sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. 

For more recipes using gluten free baking mixes visit:www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com 

Chili Cornbread Muffins

Regular Corn Muffins can be bland and often need a topping of some jam or butter to really enjoy them. This recipe has a delicious richness from the yogurt and melted butter, a surprising kick from the chili pepper, and a nice crunch from the scallions, that makes this savory muffin go equally well with a bowl of steaming chili, or to stand alone by itself  for a spicy snack. You can also see how pretty they are with all the color flakes throughout the muffin.          

Chile Cornbread Muffins

1 cup Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Mix

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 cups medium grind cornmeal

3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 scallions chopped

1 red chili pepper seeded and chopped

3 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup plain yogurt

2/3 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray, or use baking cups.

In a large bowl mix the Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Mix, baking powder, cornmeal, sugar, & salt.  Add the scallions & chili pepper. In a medium bowl mix the eggs, yogurt, milk, & butter together and add to the dry ingredients just until blended.

Divide among 12 muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes. Cool and enjoy! 

Triple Chocolate Trifle

Three types of chocolate gives this simple trifle a real satisfying chocolate flavor.  I actually created this by accident when I was experimenting with  a double chocolate cake with vanilla filling recipe.  I broke the cake when I was trying to cut it in half to make two layers, and was left with crumbled chocolate cake and some vanilla ganache in the fridge that I was going to whip for a cream filling.  Not wanting to waste these delicious ingredients I took out my martini glasses and started layering.  I was thinking of the old dessert, Death By Chocolate while I was making this new version.  So after I had the two layers I added  some bittersweet chocolate shavings over the top and a new favorite was born!

For Information on the gluten free chocolate cake mix and the recipe go to:www.glutenfreebakingmixes.com