Week 12: Zucchini Chip Cupcakes

You know that scene in the movie "Armageddon" where Ben Affleck & Liv Tyler are laying on the ground and Ben is talking about the difference between crackers and cookies... how the defining characteristic of a cracker is whether or not you can put cheese on it, thereby determining that animal crackers are not really crackers, but cookies instead?

That's how I feel about this week's recipe. The author of the recipe calls them "cupcakes"... but in my opinion, the defining characteristic of a cupcake is whether or not you can put frosting on it. I would never in a million years put frosting on these. Therefore, I am renaming them (for the purpose of this blog) "Zucchini Chip Muffins".

Zucchini Chip Muffins

Makes 24

Recipe from allrecipes.com

1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened

(Is there really a question here? Always choose butter.)

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 3/4 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. baking cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 c. shredded zucchini

1/4 c. miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. chopped pecans (I left these out)

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, oil and sugar. Add eggs, milk and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; add to the creamed mixture. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Top with pecans. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.

I'm ashamed to tell you that although I always insist on real butter (I grew up on a dairy farm and will always be a farm girl at heart), I do not drink milk. Sailor Boy likes soy milk (gasp!), so sometimes we have that in the house, and I use it for baking. However, Sailor Boy isn't home right now, and there's no milk in the house. What to do, what to do...

Then I had a lightbulb moment (you know, like on cartoons when someone has a great idea and a lightbulb appears over their head): fruit juice! I used the juice from a can of peaches. Actually, I misread the recipe and thought I needed 1 cup of milk/liquid. So I opened 2 cans and used the juice from both of them. These muffins are so good. I had to bake them for the full 25 minutes (probably due to the extra liquid), but they are super moist and yummy inside.

This is a great way to use some of the zucchini that's bound to make it's way into your home at this time of the year!