that's what she baked.

Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These (very delayed) birthday cupcakes were made for co-workers last week. Originally, I wanted to make cupcakes for, or close to people’s actual birthdays, but timing and life often doesn’t work out like that. I asked for preferences and both of the teachers said they like almost everything I’ve made, but are partial to cream cheese frosting. I didn’t want to have to go food shopping so I decided to work with what I had in my cabinet. While pumpkin season has passed, I thought I’d use the can now, instead of waiting again for the fall to come. I had toasted pecans from these pies and some chocolate chips hanging around so I thought they’d be great to mix in the pumpkin batter (a Martha Stewart recipe) topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting (also, Martha). I didn’t turn my Kitchen Aid on at all and mixed everything but the frosting, with a whisk and my muscles. 

I was not happy with the fact that I under-filled the cupcake liners, but nobody complained. Whenever I think I know how much to fill, I have a different recipe and it has a different weight and consistency, etc. That’s what’s happening right? I’m not too too worried about it. However, under-filling did give me the opportunity to make some babycakes, which gave me the ability to taste the cakes and share with more friends.  

Sunday pancake fest (from 1 week ago). I was happy to find a use for the rest of the buttermilk before it went bad. Usually I have to toss it because I buy it for cupycakes but don’t need a lot of it. I was going to write more, but now I don’t feel like it.

As always, Martha does it! (used was her buttermilk pancake recipe), but be aware, the recipe is way too large for 2 bellies. 

I had a potluck to go to this weekend with some of my school buddies.

I originally was thinking about making cupcakes but knew I actually had to go home home to Western Mass before I trekked back to the Boston area. Long story short, I wanted to make something that didn’t need much decoration and would sit well in the back of my car and wanted to make a holiday-ish thing so I found another gingerbread related recipe on Martha Stewart’s website.

Pictured above is the loaf soon after it came out of the oven and then ready to be transported. I was impatient so I didn’t wait for it to cool down COMPLETELY so the bars aren’t sliced as nicely as they should be. But who cares? They taste the same.