I was confused.

I wasn’t sure what to call these.

They are kind of like a cupcake…but not.
They are kind of like a muffin…but not.
They are kind of like a soft chewy cookie…but not.

I’m not exactly sure where I was headed when I started throwing things in a bowl to start this recipe.  I am pretty sure my first thought was chocolate and pumpkin muffins with a chocolate crumble on the top.  As I made my batter, I just didn’t feel like it was a good ‘muffin’ consistency.  It was definitely resembling a cake batter.  So…I jumped to the next plan.  Cupcakes.  Except that I was out of cupcake liners.

Well…that’s a lie.  I had cupcake liners that were orange and had bats all over them.  Totally not season-appropriate.  So…onto the next plan…

Throw the batter in an unlined pan and see what comes out.

The outcome?

Little fluffy bites of cake that are not as high as cupcakes but not as flat as cookies.

In addition to being confused about what I was actually making, I must have also been confused about what holiday season we are currently celebrating.  I broke out the pumpkin?  What?  Well, I guess it officially isn’t winter yet…so the adding of the pumpkin can still be considered legit, right?

Mini Chocolate-Pumpkin Cake Bites

Ingredients:

1-1/ 2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 cup fat-free milk

1 egg

3/4 cup applesauce

1 can (!5 ounce) pure pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour to pumpkin pie spice) and stir until fully mixed.  In a separate large bowl, combine wet ingredients (milk – vanilla) and stir until fully mixed.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture a quarter at a time; mixing thoroughly between each addition.  When ingredients are completely together, batter will be lumpy.  This is okay and actually makes for a better cake-like consistency.

Spray each cup of a muffin tin with non-stick spray and spoon approximately 1/4 cup of batter into each.

Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from tin and place on wire rack to cool.

Yield:  Approximately 24, depending on size.

So…I guess the moral of this whole confusing story I told you is that these little cake bites can be whatever you want them to be…

…they can be cupcakes, muffins, cookies, gobs, brownies…or any other thing you can think of that is baked with chocolate.

Oh, and, if you are feeling festive?  Go ahead throw some crazy Christmas decorations on them.  It will really brighten your spirit.  And your taste buds.

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