About the Recipe
p. 8 Battered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery
“Your new pastries are going to be a huge winner, Nine,” she told Ruthie, using her college nickname. “There are only six sweet potato muffins left.”
“That, my dear Six,” Ruthie responded, with Alene’s college nickname, “is because no one wanted the ugly ones.”
Just then, Olly Burns pushed through the swing-door into the kitchen carrying dirty dishes and bad news. “Jack Stone’s out front,” he said in his sing-song voice. “Apparently he wants to work here. With us.”
Alene rested her knife on the counter and cringed. She’d once smacked Jack Stone when he’d drunkenly tried to feel her up, about a decade before. He might have been somewhat attractive if he matured and cleaned up, but as far as Alene knew, he’d never been able to overcome his drinking problem. “Gary Vanza asked me to hire Jack, as a favor, to last week,” she said, “but he’s probably never held a job longer than a few months.” She paused with her knife in the air, imagining Jack Stone working in her café with his long, greasy hair and torn jeans. Alene glanced briefly at Kacey and added, “I’m a little worried about trying to teach an old dog new tricks.”
Ingredients
¾ cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
¼ cup EVOO, canola or coconut oil
¾ cup cooked, mashed sweet potato or canned pumpkin
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup unsulphured molasses (use same cup you use to measure the oil)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 ½ cups all-purpose and ½ cup whole wheat flour)
½ tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray oil into 12 cupcake liners
Combine first 7 ingredients in a blender or processor and blend until smooth
Stir together flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and baking soda
Add to blender and pulse 3 or 4 times just until blended
Pour into sprayed cupcake liners (about ¾ full)
Bake about 10 minutes in preheated oven
Lower oven to 350 degrees, bake an additional 10 until tops are springy
Remove from oven
Cool and remove from baking pan
Serve with maple syrup, berries, whipped coconut milk, chocolate frosting, or jam
Variation: stir in a package of mini chocolate chips before baking