Peanut Butter Muffins

I had this awesome plan to make a cookie pizza and share the experience with you. But then life happened, and cookie pizza did not. The husband wanted to go for burgers at Teddy's after work and then walk around Diamond Head. This unplanned adventure led to my first time seeing a humpback whale. It was from a distance, but still totally amazing. Cookie pizza can wait.

I first made these peanut butter muffins in Taiwan in my oven the size of your average dorm room microwave. It was a special request for a friend. They turned out moist and delicious. They are the perfect portable snack. I should know. I wrapped each one up in plastic wrap, put them in a shopping bag, and carried them all over Taichung City on foot, passing out muffins to friends and acquaintances in People's Park, at TGI Fridays, and later to complete strangers at La Ble D'or. This is a beer only establishment with a French name, a Taiwanese staff who wear German outfits, and Spanish music playing in the background. The perfect example of cognitive dissonance that I lived with on a daily basis during my two years as an expatriate.

But back to those muffins. They are delicious both before and after a giant beer. The giant beer makes it seem okay to eat four of them, though. They're topped off with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar for a touch of extra sweetness. Next time I make them, I think I'll hide some jelly inside. Because... um... why not? It would taste amazing. Make them. Share them. Horde them. It doesn't matter. You won't be able to stop eating them.

*Photos 2 and 3 by Gillian Logie

Spice Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

How is one expected to go about their daily business when their whole apartment smells like spice heaven?  That's the dilemma I was faced with when I put these baby cakes in the oven.  The warm comforting scent of cinnamon and ginger hung around my apartment for hours.  These golden teddy bear brown cakes sat cooling on my table, taunting me, begging to be eaten.  I wish I could have had them all to myself.

These sweet little cakes started out with that oh so heavenly spice cake I was telling you about.  A bit more substantial than the average airy vanilla cupcake, these cakes are loaded with flavor all by themselves, including a gentle heat that warms the back of your throat.  No wonder people were willing to sail thousands of miles for this stuff.  Spices make life much more exciting.  But as if that weren't enough, perched on top is a generous dollop of sweet and tangy maple cream cheese frosting.  It's just the right amount of sweet, and oh so smooth and creamy.  Finally they're hit with a sprinkling of demerara sugar to make them sparkle.

I couldn't help myself.  I had to have one before we packed them up for Canada day.  I couldn't believe my taste buds.  These cupcakes turned out to be even better than the smell had promised.  I couldn't stop dancing with delight.  I wanted everyone in the world to try one.  As long as they left one more for me.  

Inspired by The Hungry Mouse