baking in summer

{edit: I have linked to the recipes as I meant to when I originally posted. Thanks Danielle for pointing that out!}

I don't consider myself to be a very good cook. I try and I think with experience I continue to get better. Since staying home with Malakai I've tried out new recipes for dinners here and there. Even so, I've always preferred baking. I don't know if it's because it's easier, or because I really like desserts, but I could bake all day long.

I usually don't like to turn the oven on for long during the hot summer days, making our a/c work overtime, but lately I've been baking cakes + muffins like crazy. Ever since baking Malakai's banana cake for his birthday, I've been looking into other healthy + yummy recipes.

A couple weeks ago I baked an applesauce cake. It was pretty good, but not as moist as the banana. Then I finally purchased a muffin tin {how have I not had one for so long?!} and the first thing I baked were these fudgey cupcakes. They weren't from scratch, but the frosting was! {PS I added Starbucks Coffee Liqueur to the frosting and ooooh my goodness, YUM!}

Last week I used the same banana cake recipe to make muffins. They were a bit on the dry side. However, Ben discovered that heated + topped with some butter {Brummel + Brown yogurt spread} that they were perfection for breakfast. I'm really liking recipes that use whole wheat flour.

{oh and I added mini-chocolate chips}

I just bought some more brownie mix + some white cake mix so I'll be doing some more experimenting with the muffin tin. I also want to try my mother-in-law's cocoa applesauce muffin recipe that I've had for ages. I just need to go out and get some unsweetened cocoa. I'm really excited to make them with the homemade applesauce that my good friend Jamie showed us how to make last week.

What have you been up to in the kitchen lately? Any good muffin or cupcake recipes to share?