10/14

Cupcakes: The Fun, the Healthy and In Between

Halloween is one of my absolute favorite holidays. It is so much fun as a parent to share that joy with Brooks. It only gets better with each passing year. I look at Halloween as the official start of the candy and cookie season. Giant bowls and cauldrons of sugary treats lurking around every corner. Who can resist candy corn? I know I can’t. For me personally, and as a mom, I try to find balance in the midst of the Halloween candy frenzy. I feed my family as healthy as possible, but everyone needs a treat now and then! The big Halloween treat at my house is baking and decorating cupcakes.

It has become an annual family tradition. It is incredibly simple and Brooks has so much fun doing it. It is as easy as baking and frosting, then let your pint sized “decorator” do the rest. Let the cupcakes be their canvas!

Cupcake tins or sectioned dishware are perfect to use for your decorating station. This is a fab activity for a birthday party or play date. Kids love the interactive element and they get to eat their art afterwards. I even made a Pinterest board to help you with your inspiration.

To make healthier versions of your cupcakes, you have plenty of options. Try angel food cake as your base because it contains less fat and sugar than regular cake. If you are making a store bought mix, you can substitute applesauce or plain yogurt for the oil to keep the calorie count and fat down. Be sure to only replace no more than half of the amount of oil listed on the recipe to keep the texture and flavor. You can also swap out whole eggs with egg whites (2 egg whites = 1 egg) and you’ll save more than 10 grams of fat and 100 calories.