A Fantastic, Healthy Birthday Cupcake Alternative for All!

Yogurt cupcakes! Yum!

While cupcakes are fun and, at times, uplifting, they can get old. Like, really old. You know, if everyone in your network – or child’s class — goes out and buys them for every birthday or celebration that comes up. So, here is an alternative that still keeps with the good ol’ cupcake trend but without the guilt – or the boredom!

Jazz them up even further with a fun dry-treat bag containing a small cookie — or in this case, cheddar bunnies.

Or, fun for a whole classroom!

Yogurt Cupcakes*
12+ Cupcake holders with sturdy bottom and a cardstock-thickness
(1) 32-oz Tub of plain/fat-free yogurt of your choice
Vanilla extract to taste, or any other extract
Maple syrup to taste, or any other sweetener
Scooper with release button, 3 oz or 4 oz size

This is pretty self-explanatory, isn’t it? Take the yogurt, flavor it and sweeten it to your heart’s content Mix it up. Taste – no double-dipping. Then scoop some into each cupcake holder. Done.

Yogurt Cupcake Topping*
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 pint and chilled
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1 – 2 Tablespoons maple sugar, or any other sweetener
Strawberries, washed, hulled, and quartered – enough for your servings
1 Electric mixer with whisk attachments – a handheld stick will not work well!
1 Mixing bowl, chilled for about 10 minutes in freezer or fridge
1 Rubber spatula
1 Pastry bag
1 Star decorating tip

This is also very simple, yes? Pour very cold heavy whipping cream into a very chilled mixing bowl. Add sweetener and extract, if desired. Whip it good – would you be able to resist a shout out to Devo? — with the electric mixer. Beat until firm. Overdo this step, and you’ll have butter on your hands… Anyway, place star tip into the empty pastry bag, hopefully a reusable one…. Squeeze gently and decorate as you like. Add a strawberry quarter on the top, and you’re done!

*TIP 1: Consider assembling everything at the location where you plan to serve this amazing treat. You can put the sweetened yogurt back into its tub. You can put the whipped cream in a container and bring the prepped pastry bag with you. This way, you won’t have to worry about how to carry it or get the cupcake holders all soggy before the big moment of presenting them to the recipient at the party or your office.
*TIP 2: Pack the dry-treat bags right before serving or you will get grease spots if the contents do not have a separate wrapper!

P.S. Yes, yogurt’s been on the brain, and sometimes when on a roll, ya just gotta go with it…

Enjoy!