Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

The recipe I have for Tuesday recipe day has been shown over and over on Facebook recently.  It looked good and follows the theme of Impossible Pies I have been trying to make recently.  A few weeks ago I posted an Impossible Custard Pie.  http://www.thecabincountess.com/2014/07/impossible-pie.html

I made an Impossible Lemon Pie last week but I didn't care for it.  It was gluten free and the texture was wrong.  I'll have to try a couple more variations before I post that one.  Fortunately my dad will anything that is put in front of him so nothing goes to waste. 

This one is called Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes.  It isn't nearly as good as my Pumpkin Pie in a crust, but it is so easy to make.  It isn't bad and would be worth the effort.  I put all the ingredients in my Vitamix and mixed it on low speed until combined.  This recipe could easily be made by stirring all the ingredients together. 

Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cup muffin tin with silicone liners, foil liners sprayed with cooking spray or just spray the cups with cooking spray. Either of these three methods will make it easy to take the cupcake out after it’s cooked. Don't use paper liners because they make it difficult to remove the cupcakes from the tin.

I didn't use liners, just sprayed the muffin tins.

Mix the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and milk. Add the flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda to the mixture. Fill each muffin cup with 1/3 cup of the mixture. Bake for twenty minutes and let cool for twenty minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle more pumpkin pie spice on top and serve. Makes 12 cupcakes.

It makes 12 pumpkin pie cupcakes.  Store in the refrigerator out of the tins.

Barb's Homemade Deodorant

We all hear how bad it is for us to use deodorant, but we all need it.   Apparently the aluminum, the parabens, other chemicals and additives in the product are harmful, yet most companies continue to use those ingredients to keep our armpits dry and good smelling.   I am very sensitive to a lot of underarm deodorants, so I decided to make my own.  A while ago, I bought Degree deodorant for women and something in it made my armpits itch.  Of course, I bought a three pack at Sam's Club.  There was no savings in buying in quantity when you don't use it.  I emptied out one of the containers and used that container to make my own.  I searched online and found a blog post that had a recipe.  http://becomingpeculiar.com/my-all-natural-homemade-body-care-products/

The first thing you do is melt, over a double boiler, 3 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil and 1 Tablespoon of beeswax.   Since I don't have a double boiler, I just fit a heat resistant bowl over a kettle of hot water. 

Coconut oil and grated beeswax melted together.

When it is all melted and stirred together, just add 1/4 cup of cornstarch, 1/4 cup of baking soda, 5 drops of Tea Tree Oil (for antibacterial effect) and a scent if you wish.  I added spearmint essential oil.  Don't ask me why I chose spearmint, it was kind of an odd choice. 

Ingredients for homemade underarm deodorant.

When all the ingredients are combined into a runny mixture, pour into an empty deodorant container.  Be sure it is screwed down to the lowest level.  You may have to work fast depending on how fast it cools.  It finishes cooling quickly in the container and is ready to use right away.  Because coconut oil melts at 76 degrees, it may become soft in the hot summer.  In this case, just keep it in the refrigerator.  Mine seems fine and it is a very warm day.  The beeswax helps keep it firm so melting may not be a problem.

The finished product.

It worked out very well. The baking soda absorbs odor, the cornstarch absorbs moisture, the coconut oil and beeswax makes it stay together  and the tea tree oil kills bacteria. The essential oil helps make it smell good.  In my case, like a stick of Wrigley's spearmint gum.  I peeled the label off so I won't confuse it for another brand.  Time will tell if it does do what it is supposed to do.  I hope others will tell me if it doesn't work.  You know what they say "A skunk can't smell it's own odor".  I may think this stuff is wonderful but others may not.