Author: Cyndi Harles

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Black Bottom Cupcakes: Any time I come across a recipe for something I grew up baking with my mom, I’m filled with warm fuzzies and food cravings. Lots of no-bake cookies and “strike-it-rich” cakes come to mind. Imagine my delight then, when I bought this Guittard Chocolate Cookbook.

I was blasted to the past with these “Black Bottom Cupcakes.” They were a go-to treat in my family, bigtime. I was thrilled to make them again after all these years.

This “cake-meets-cheesecake” dessert is so absolutely fabulous. I couldn’t even wait until they fully cooled to dig into one. It is definitely a winning recipe!

Warm, melted chocolate chips inside a tangy cream cheese filling, all surrounded by a rich and tender chocolate cupcake. There’s something about this ingredient combination that is marvelous. As a bonus, these cupcakes are incredibly easy to make!

Easy Bake

Once you prep the batter, divvy it up in a lined cupcake tin.

Whip up the cream cheese filling. Add that on top of the chocolate batter.

After about 20 minutes in the oven, you get your Black Bottom Cupcakes.

Thank you Guittard for taking me and my taste buds back in time. This one is blue ribbon worthy for sure! Their recipe was my inspiration, but I changed a few things. I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and added almond extract. I also upped all the amounts of cocoa, cream cheese, and chocolate chips. Coffee creamer came in handy when I didn’t have whole milk. Plus I made a few other minor tweaks.

Black Bottom Cupcakes is a forgiving (translate: very easy) recipe, so it is a fun one to make with kids. Grab your ingredients and get baking!

-Cyndi

p.s. The Guittard Chocolate Cookbook is filled with fabulous recipes. I give it a thumbs up and hope you buy it. Here’s a link.

Meat & Sweet Potato Hash Bowls

Meet my new go-to weeknight meal: Meat & Sweet Potato Hash Bowls. I make them mots often with turkey sausage, but any protein will work. If you want an easy, delicious weeknight dinner, make this recipe.

Its inspiration came in waves. First, I’m obsessed with the Korean beef and pulled pork hash bowls at Dayblock Brewing Company in Minneapolis. They serve them on select Sundays year-round, but not every Sunday, sadly.

Second, I’ve been walking down memory lane, looking over old archived winning recipes. There are a lot of sausage-themed ones from the 1990’s, a treasure trove of brunch bakes, savory pies, quiches and casseroles. This got me craving flavorful sausages. I picked up some Jennie-O All Natural Turkey Sausage with the mission of developing an easy hash. I found this Turkey Sausage Potato Hash and was off to a good start and ready to make my own. What I was also excited about: another great recipe using delicious sweet potatoes and other vegetables.

Start to Finish

First I diced and browned the sausage with some olive oil (on high until it was mostly cooked), then removed it from the heat to cook the veggies.

I sauteed sweet potatoes, red bell pepper, onions, and Brussels sprouts.

I diced the sweet potatoes small and quartered the sprouts so that everything will cook at an even pace.

I sauteed that all with olive oil for a few minutes, then added the turkey sausage back in, along with fresh chopped garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and paprika. A few minutes later and dinner was on the table. SO EASY! And SO delicious.

Meat & Sweet Potato Hash Bowls: I will do this one again and again, maybe changing up the spices and vegetables. The sweet potatoes might be a constant though. Chopped spring onions go great on top; a fried egg too, if that’s your thing.

A Make Ahead Meal

What’s also great about this dish is you can make a single or double batch ahead of time, and just heat up portions in a sauté pan for quick meals. I hope you enjoy this dish as much we did! Looking for more meals with sweet potato? This this one!

-Cyndi

Best Low-Sugar Layer Cake

This Best Low-Sugar Layer Cake recipe won its top honors at the 2022 State Fair of Texas.

The gluten-free and sugar-free carrot cake is a “must make” recipe for those avoiding gluten, as it’s made with almond flour.

The recipe comes from Sally Muhl, who baked and won with it at last year’s fair.

We re-baked it, as both a cake and as cupcakes. One bite in, we could see clearly why it won. With 2 1/2 cups of grated carrots in the cake, cinnamon, a touch of molasses, and pineapple extract, we found the cake moist and flavorful. It also has just the right amount of sweetness.

Baking Tips

If you like extra frosting, double the recipe and you can frost the sides and have a thick filling between the two cake layers.

The recipe makes one layer cake, 24 classic-sized cupcakes, or 48 mini cupcakes.

We invite you to bake this best low-sugar layer cake recipe. If you do, post it on Instagram or Facebook and tag us @BlueRibbonFoodies and of course @Splenda.

And if you’re looking for more diabetes-friendly baked goods, check out the best low-sugar fruit pie here or visit Splenda.com.

State Fair of Texas Best Sugar-Free Pie

State Fair of Texas Best Sugar-Free Pie: This recipe earned its “best sugar-free pie” at the 2022 State Fair of Texas. It’s a blueberry apple pie that’s packed with 6 cups of blueberries and a sliced apple.

The recipe is from Robert Cook, who has won MANY times at the State Fair of Texas. Learn how to make this “sweetened with Splenda” award-winning pie with Robert’s detailed recipe below.

My family raved about this pie when my niece re-created it for a special occasion. They especially liked how it wasn’t overly sweet.

The filling cooks up perfectly and the pie sliced just how you want it to.

If you love fruit pies, this is the recipe for YOU! And if you want more blue ribbon winning pie recipes, simply search for “fruit pie” on our site and you’ll find a huge collection of drool-worthy delights.

Enjoy!

-Cyndi

Best Date & Pecan Rolls

As a 2022 State Fair of Texas “Best Sugar-Free Candy” winner, these “Best Date & Pecan Rolls” truly earned their title. They’re sweetened with dried dates and Splenda’s zero-calorie granulated sweetener. Orange zest and vanilla extract give them a wonderful aroma and flavor you will absolutely savor.

This recipe comes from the kitchen of Donna Wyse-Hill.

Donna has won a countless number times at her local fair, the State Fair of Texas, which happens to be the largest fair in the United States, based on total attendance numbers.

Winner Q&A

We recently caught up with Donna for a Q&A and learned a bit more about this top blue ribbon baker:

BRG: Best Date & Pecan Rolls. What can you tell me about this winning recipe and why you chose it?

Donna: I have really come to love dates and figs. And in Texas, PECANS are king. I try not to eat sugar, so Splenda worked great. I never choose someone’s recipe without making it my own and making tweaks.

BRG: What do you think your secret to winning was?

Donna: My nut roll was different. First, I competed with a sugar free against real sugar entries. Most of the other entries were white. Mine was brown.

BRG: Do you have any helpful tips for someone making it on their own?

Donna: Don’t be afraid of using a candy thermometer. If the first attempt fails, keep trying. It is science.

Donna’s First Baking Contest Was in 1983

BRG: How long have you been baking and competing at the fair?

Donna: About 20 years. I started in 1983 and competed about 15 years and took a break. Came back with canning a few years ago.

BRG: What has been your biggest win in baking competitions?

Donna: In the brownie bakeoff I won first place in both brownie and blondie so basically I competed against myself for best of show. I won!

BRG: How many ribbons do you have?

Donna: Hundreds. I never counted them.

BRG: What did you like about baking with Splenda?

Donna: My brother is diabetic. I do keto. We can all enjoy the same dessert. Both my parents were diabetic too. I love it when I change people’s mind that think a dessert with Splenda won’t taste as good.

BRG: What do you do for work?

Donna: I work in a Family Office. Accounting and general office. I am in my 33rd year with them.

BRG: Any hobbies besides baking?

Donna: I love cooking as much as baking. I have won some big awards and prizes with savory dishes. $10k from a national Campbell’s Soup recipe contest and other great wins as well. I love to travel. Have been to 6 continents and lots of cruises. I am a huge sports fan too.

Pro Tip for Preparing This Recipe

If you make these best date & pecan rolls–and we highly recommend you do–consider the butter you’re using. Increase the amount (to 1 cup) if you are using a European butter like Kerrygold or Plugra. They are two of Donna’s favorite brands and what she used for her winning entry.

Enjoy!

-Cyndi

Savory Buffalo Chicken Mini Pies

Next time a flavor craving for “buffalo chicken wings” hits you, make these Savory Buffalo Chicken Mini Pies.

They are basically baby-sized savory pies packed with diced chicken, cheddar cheese, and spicy red hot sauce. A bleu cheese crumble topping and celery garnish bring home the buffalo chicken theme. You can tailor them to your preferred heat level with how much sauce you use. You can also easily make these gluten-free by using Gluten-Free Bisquick.

Savory Buffalo Chicken Mini Pies – Step by Step

The recipe comes from Betty Crocker. Thank you BETTY! Here’s how incredibly and impossibly easy they are to make. Get your ingredients set out. Mix the chicken, buffalo sauce, and ground pepper.

Add the cheese.

Mix it up and set it aside. You’ll use this “filling” in a few seconds.

In a separate medium bowl, combine Bisquick, milk, and eggs.

Take a muffin pan prepped with cooking spray. Spoon a tablespoon of batter into each cup.

Add 1/4 cup chicken mixture to each cup.

Add another tablespoon of batter to each cup.

Bake them in a pre-heated 375-degree F oven for about 25-30 minutes. The tip of inserting a toothpick in the center applies here. If it comes out clean, it’s fully baked.

Once your savory buffalo chicken mini pies are out of the oven, add your finishing touches (like bleu cheese and celery), and you have a fantastic party food on your hands.

On a closing note, we ran a Bisquick recipe contest many years back. Thanks to that, we have numerous award-winning Bisquick recipes on our site. One of my favorites is this savory pie. Want more? Simply search for Bisquick in the search bar, from anywhere on our site. You’ll find fun recipes ranging from savory crackers and biscuits, to hand pies and zucchini fries. Wow! You will want to try all of them.

-Cyndi

Best Citrus Cake Contest Winner

The Kowalski’s Markets Best Citrus Cake Contest winner at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair was this Daffodil Citrus Cake from Jenny McElroy. The cake is half angel food cake and have citrus sponge cake. It has phenomenal flavor, which comes from using fresh orange and lemon zests. Learn how to make it with Jenny’s detailed recipe below.

The contest drew a record number of entries, 130. Jenny learned to bake from her mother and grandmother. Over the years she had perfected angel food cake baking skills. It paid off with winning first place out of so many cakes!

She first make this cake for a Mother’s Day celebration. When she learned of the new Kowalski’s Market Best Citrus Cake Contest, this cake immediately came to mind.

Tables Full of Citrus Cakes

The scents of lemon, orange, lime, and even grapefruit were in the air over the tables full of citrus cakes. This contest was judged before the fair opened and on the same day all the bakers dropped off their entries.

High Praises for Best Citrus Cake Contest Winner

Among the comments from judge, “this cake speaks citrus” and “the baker has mastered the sponge cake process.” They also praised it’s true natural flavors. They even noted how the glaze was just the right consistency, how even the cake’s surface was, and how perfectly it cut. This is what it looked like on contest day.

I can personally attest to this cakes deliciousness and how perfect the recipe was written. The detail was so good, I consider it a no-fail recipe.

When Jenny is not baking blue ribbon winning cakes, she is a librarian with the Minnesota Historical Society.

Congratulations Jenny!

Splenda Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

This Splenda Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake Pie won first place in the Splenda Magic Baker “Low-To-No Sugar Showdown” at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair. The recipe comes from Barb Lutz.

To get started, decide if you’ll make your own crust or buy a premade one. You’ll want a 9-inch round pie plate or slightly larger. You do two bakes. The first one is the raspberry/crust layer. The second layer – for which you lower the heat – is the chocolate cheesecake layer made with cream cheese, eggs, Splenda Magic Baker, dark chocolate baking bar, and sour cream. Once that’s baked, while the Splenda Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake Pie is still hot, you spread a sour cream layer/sweetener layer that soaks into the chocolate layer. After it’s chilled, you finish it with fresh raspberries and a chocolate drizzle.

You are going to delight in making and eating this award-winning chocolate dessert. Enjoy!

-Cyndi

Healthy Power Bars

These Healthy Power Bars come from Amy Ellenberger, who won the new UnitedHealthcare “Healthy Cookie Contest” at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair.

Amy’s Healthy Power Bars are made with raw whole cashews, oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds. She sweetens them with maple syrup, raisins, and Medjool dates. They have a chewy, crunchy texture you are absolutely going to love.

Good-For-You Ingredients

Healthy Power Bars

Congratulations to Amy!

Healthy Power Bars

Learn more about Amy in this Star Tribune feature story. If you want another healthy cookie option, try these!

Gluten-Free Fig Newtons

Gluten-Free Fig Newtons: Joan Kinsley won “best gluten-free cookie” at the Minnesota State Fair with this recipe.

They have very few ingredients but still taste complex. They truly pack a lot of flavor in every bite.

The natural sweetness of the figs, augmented by maple syrup, bake for a sweet, but not overly so, treat. Joan’s Gluten-Free Fig Newtons taste best made the day prior to eating them. When doing so, they soften perfectly.

The recipe makes 16 cookies. You are going to want a double batch of these!

Joan has won multiple ribbons, including a blue ribbon for best sandwich cookie in the same year. It also went on to win best overall cookie, aka “sweepstakes” winner.

Yay Joan! Yay Everyone! Get baking and make these!

Cyndi