No Bake Circus Animal Cookie Cheesecake

June 9, 2020 Amanda Plott

It’s getting hot here. Hot as in… we’re already breaking heat records here in Texas. Gross. That being said, it’s time to start using the stove and oven less, and instead focus on meals and recipes that don’t require any heat! While I’m still busy using up pantry staples I thought it would be a great time to use up some old circus animal cookies that I’ve had stocked away from Halloween truck-or-treating.

So, what do you do with leftover cookies and no heat? You turn them into a no bake cheesecake! This is a scratch no bake cheesecake. Not made with that boxed mix from the store. Nope! Turns out you don’t need a pre-packaged box to make a proper no bake cheesecake…

Lemon Pudding Cake

May 29, 2020 Amanda Plott

If you’ve never had a lemon pudding cake, you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s basically a lemon cobbler; delicious scratch made lemon pudding as the base with a homemade lemon cake batter on top that bakes to a gooey lemon dessert that is as sweet as it is sassy.

I lightened this tasty lemon treat up by subbing a lot of the sugar for natural sweetener. I like to use a cup-for-cup stevia based sweetener, but any sort you favor should work just fine. The unsweetened almond milk is also a good milk alternative for baking since it saves calories and comes out tasting great…

Skinny Baked Funfetti 'Cake Batter' Oatmeal

May 24, 2020 Amanda Plott

Back when I originally made this, my amazing little girl wass turning 4 years old the very next day and I could hardly believe how fast time was flying! Today, she’s a month into 10! One of her most favorite things in the world when she was little (and still is today) are sprinkles. Every year for her birthday I always try to come up with a 'sprinkle' heavy (funfetti) dish in her honor.

Well, alright... so funfetti and sprinkles are a few of my most favorite things in the world as well. I mean... what's better than eating a rainbow? I like to imagine that it appeases my inner child for a while…

Cherry Pop-Tart Bundt Cake

May 18, 2020 Amanda Plott

Another day, another dessert! This sweet treat is a nod to Cherry Pop-Tarts with it’s light pink frosting, red sugar sprinkles, and cherry filling. It’s truly one of the most delicious cherry cakes that I’ve ever put in my mouth. And that’s saying a lot!

While this cake is perfect as a dessert, it could also be enjoyed for breakfast. How do I know that? It’s what I had today for breakfast. Since it’s in the shape of a bundt… that makes it technically like a coffee cake, right? Sure. Let’s go with that…

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

April 20, 2020 Amanda Plott

I have a cookie monster in my house. …And she comes in the shape of a 10 year old girl. It’s amazing how I bought a huge container of chocolate chip cookies from the store this week and magically 3/4ths of the cookies have disappeared in the matter of just a couple of days.

That being said, I’m not about to venture out for another box. So, I thought I would whip up a delicious chocolate chip cookie inspired dessert of some sort. This Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake is the perfect guilt-free way to enjoy chocolate chip cookies any time…

Skinny Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

April 13, 2020 Amanda Plott

These cupcakes have been in my family since sometime in 2003. Well, not these exact cupcakes. Of course, I've made some changes to them to skinny them up enough for my liking these days. I think the first time that we ever made these was the summer when I was going to be graduating college.

I had come home from school during some break and my grandmother was visiting (just as she is now.) My mom had come across this recipe somehow in a Better Crocker Cookbook and we decided to whip them up for whatever reason.

I mean... do you really need a reason to make cupcakes?

Anyway, we made the cupcakes and they were nothing short of amazing. I think that I ate my weight in them. Which at the time was more than acceptable. I was a teenager after all and could get away with eating whatever I wanted at the time. I was lucky that way.

We've made these cupcakes almost every year since then, so naturally I wanted to turn them into something that I could readily enjoy in a more guiltless manner.

The first thing I did to change these was to bake this cake with water and greek yogurt, instead of oil and whole eggs. Honestly, this usually creates an even more moist and tender cake than you would otherwise get.

I also swapped out the cream cheese for a reduced fat cream cheese. It's half the fat of regular cream cheese. Then for the frosting, I made my own cream cheese whipped cream frosting, again using reduced fat cream cheese.

This is a pretty stable whipped cream frosting, but you won't want to set them out in the midst of the summer heat as I'm sure eventually it will start to fall.

Also, be sure that you're using a HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM. Nothing light. If you use a light whipping cream it won't ever come to a thick pipe-able frosting.

Be sure to store these guys in the fridge since they are stuffed with cream cheese and also topped with it.

Skinny Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes
TheSkinnyFork.com - Originally Posted 4/17/15

Easy peasy cupcakes that are stuffed with cream cheese and a touch of strawberry preserves and topped off with a light homemade whipped cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes • Cook Time: 20 Minutes

The Skinny:
Servings: 24 • Serving Size: 1 Cupcake • Calories: 161 • Fat: 8 g • Saturated Fat: 4 g • Carb: 23 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 9 g • Sugar: 12 g • Sodium: 203 mg

Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
• 1 (17 Oz.) Box Cake Mix (Vanilla, white or Yellow)
• 1 C. Water
• 6 Oz. Plain Fat Free Greek Yogurt
• 2 Egg Whites
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 3 Oz. Neufchâtel Cream Cheese
• 3 Tbsp. Strawberry Preserves

Frosting:
• 8 Oz. Neufchâtel Cream Cheese
• 1/4 C. Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 C. Powdered Sugar Substitute
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Tsp. Almond Extract
• 2/3 C. COLD Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a cupcake tin with cupcake papers.

Lightly coat the inside of the papers with non-stick baking spray; set aside.

Combine the cake mix, 1 C. water, 6 Oz. yogurt, 2 egg whites and 1 Tsp. vanilla into a large bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.

Divide the batter evenly among 24 cupcakes.

Place 1/4 tsp. of cream cheese onto each cupcake and push down slightly into the batter.

Put about 1/4 tsp. of the strawberry preserves over the top of the cream cheese.

Place the pan into the oven and back for 20-25 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes are browned and 'springy'.

While the cupcakes were baking, I put the bowl of my stand mixer and the heavy whipping cream into the freezer to let it get nice and cold to whip up the frosting.

Carefully remove the pan from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.

While the cupcakes are cooling, beat the 8 Oz. cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.; scrape down the edges of the bowl.

Add in the 1/4 C. powdered sugar, 1/4 C. powdered sugar substitute, the 1 Tsp. vanilla, and 1/2 Tsp. almond extract; beat together again until well combined.

Scrape down the edges of the bowl again and gradually beat in the cold heavy cream.

Increase the speed of the blender or stand mixer with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.

Pipe the frosting over the cupcakes using a frosting bag or if you're super classy like me... a ziplock!

Top with slices of strawberries if desired and enjoy!

Be sure to store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Step-by-Step Photos:

Nutritional Claims: Low Potassium • Kidney Friendly • Vegetarian • Pescatarian • Peanut Free • Tree Nut Free • Soy Free •Fish Free • Shellfish Free • Pork Free • Red Meat Free • Crustacean Free • Celery Free • Mustard Free • Sesame Free • Lupine Free • Mollusk Free • Alcohol Free •Kosher