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Category: dessert

dessert,fall,recipes,Thanksgiving

Simple Bourbon Apple Crisp

posted on : October 4, 2019 posted by : Kirsten Bell 4 Comments

This simple bourbon apple crisp is one of my very favorite fall recipes! It’s a tradition in our house to bake some easy fall sweets, turn on a fun Halloween/autumn movie (Hocus Pocus anyone?), and smell the delicious autumn recipe baking while we watch it. Way better than a fall scented candle because your house smells amazing, and you get to eat it! (Not recommended with candles, I’m told.)

simple bourbon apple crisp

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dessert,fall,recipes,Thanksgiving

Quick & Easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

posted on : September 27, 2019 posted by : Kirsten Bell 3 Comments

The leaves are starting to change colors where we live, and it’s seriously feeling like fall! That makes my heart SO happy – I actually squealed with delight today seeing them and scared Charlotte by accident haha!

If you haven’t noticed, autumn is by far my very favorite season. It’s so cozy, and such a perfect time for fun fall baking recipes, snuggling up and watching movies…I could wax romantic about it all day long!

If you’re looking for a super quick and easy fall baking recipe for this weekend, these pumpkin bars are it! Soft and cakey with just enough spice, these are guaranteed to be gone faster than you may like to admit. I’m such a sucker for pumpkin and chocolate recipes, aren’t you?

These delicious pumpkin bars take 10 minutes max to whip up, and 30 minutes to bake. So in under an hour you could be enjoying scrumptious, gooey, melted chocolatey pumpkin bar goodness. No excuses, just make them! (And if you’re looking for a super delicious cake, check out my Pumpkin Caramel Layer Cake recipe!)

Makes 24 Bars

Ingredients: 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F,. Grease a 9×13 pan with butter, and line it with parchment paper with a small overhang for super easy removal of the bars.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, flour through salt. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter through pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and combine with a spatula. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spoon the dough into the prepared baking dish, using the spatula to make sure it’s evenly spread. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

dessert,recipes,Thanksgiving

Pumpkin Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

posted on : September 20, 2019 posted by : Kirsten Bell 2 Comments

Fall officially begins in just a few short days – can you believe it? We’ve had a week of rainy, colder days and that crisp Autumn chill has started to settle in around us. Fall is my very favorite season. I love the changing leaves, sweaters, and of course, everything pumpkin spice!

This is my first fall dessert of the season, and I’m SO excited to share it with you! Pumpkin cake with caramel filling, and cream cheese frosting. It’s definitely hard to pick a favorite of my cake recipes, but this pumpkin cake is going to be pretty dang hard to beat! The rich, spicy pumpkin cake pairs so well with the creamy caramel, and is topped with delicious cream cheese frosting.

Used In This Post:

As a fan of all things pumpkin spice, I thoroughly approve this cake recipe! I also love how quick and easy it is to make. Since the cake calls for melted butter, there’s not even any need to wait for butter to soften. You’ll also notice that for the caramel filling, I used store bought caramel sauce (this one is my favorite). If you have a favorite caramel recipe, feel free to use it instead.

Also, can we talk about how cute those fall sprinkles are? They’re called Fall Harvest by Sweets and Treats, and it’s safe to say I’m obsessed!

Cake Ingredients: 

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease and line three 6″ cake pans. Whisk together the dry ingredients, flour through brown sugar. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine all the wet ingredients, butter through buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients in two batches, mixing on low speed until just combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Distribute the batter between the three prepared cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.

For The Frosting: beat the cream cheese and butter in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Once all 3 cups are added, beat on high speed for about 5 minutes. If the frosting is too wet, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too dry, add a bit of heavy cream.

Assembly: Start with cold cakes. I wrap mine well in plastic wrap once cooled, and refrigerate for at least a few hours. Frost the bottom layer with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting. Pipe a small perimeter of frosting on top, and fill the well with caramel sauce. Repeat for the second layer. Use the remainder of the frosting to cover the outside of the cake. Decorate with candy pumpkins and sprinkles!

By the way, be sure to check out my Instagram (@thiscelebratedlife) for videos on how I decorate my cakes!

More Fall Recipes:

dessert,recipes

Easy Mint Julep Cupcakes

posted on : August 30, 2019 posted by : Kirsten Bell 3 Comments

Today I have the perfect boozy cupcake recipe for you: easy mint julep cupcakes. Full of delicious bourbon, warm vanilla and bright, fresh mint, these are the best cupcakes for a Kentucky Derby party. And even though the Kentucky Derby is months away, I can’t wait to serve these!

 

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dessert,recipes

Healthy Banana Bran Muffins with Blueberries

posted on : August 30, 2019 posted by : Kirsten Bell 1 Comment

Easy, delicious and healthy banana bran muffins with blueberries! These are a regular breakfast and afternoon snack in our house – I love that they’re so quick for me to whip up, and I usually have all the ingredients on hand! Plus the fact that they’re full of healthy fiber and sweetened mostly with bananas and blueberries! That wins extra mom points, right?

 

healthy banana bran muffins

Back to school is in full swing! Charlotte isn’t in school yet, but a lot of her friends are, so I’ve been observing and trying to learn all of the tips and tricks because I know we will be there before I know it! I’ve partnered with some of my favorite bloggers for more back-to-school recipes – scroll to the bottom to check them out too!

 

easy banana bran muffins

As I child, I remember really looking forward to after school snacks! It was always soooo exciting when we came through the door, and smelled a freshly baked treat waiting for us. And these healthy banana bran muffins are the perfect after-school snack. Easy for busy schedules, delicious for the kiddos, and healthy for all of us! I made these this past weekend for a quick and easy breakfast, and they were gone in a flash!

 

healthy banana bran muffins

 

Tools Needed To Make Healthy Banana Bran Muffins with Blueberries:

  • Muffin Tin: I love this muffin tin! What you bake muffins in makes a big difference, because different materials conduct heat differently! This tin bakes super evenly, so my muffins (and cupcakes!) always come out more moist! That’s the goal!
  • Mixing Bowls: I love this mixing bowl set for all my baking! It’s actually the only set I have in my kitchen right now, which is saying a lot since I bake alllll the time! There’s a perfect size for every task!
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons: Another item where quality makes a difference! I’ve owned lots of measuring cups that bend when I scoop ingredients, and it’s so frustrating! This measuring cups and spoons set is strong, and will last you forever! I’ve had mine for about a decade and they’re still good as new!

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Healthy Banana Bran Muffins with Blueberries

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  • Author: Kirsten Bell
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 Minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12 Muffins 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Baking
Print Recipe

Description

Quick, delicious and healthy banana bran muffins! Perfect for an easy breakfast on the go or afternoon snack!

Ingredients

Scale

1/3 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup bran cereal
2 bananas, mashed
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup blueberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and line a muffin tin with liners.

Combine the buttermilk, bran cereal and bananas in a large mixing bowl. Stir together, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Add the butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs to the banana mixture and whisk until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and stir until just combined. Gently stir in the blueberries.

Distribute the batter between the muffin tins, filling each to almost totally full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Allow to cool completely before removing from the liners. Enjoy!

More Back To School Recipe Ideas: 

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Tools Used To Make Healthy Banana Bran Muffins:

This Celebrated Life