The Cupcake. Healthified  
by Mesa de Vida
Featuring Treetop Applesauce, Fruit & Whipcream 

We're excited to share a special recipe and blogger feature with you today. It comes from one of our favorite chefs. Chef Kirsten of Mesa de Vida, set out to create a healthy new family legacy and lost over 100 pounds by bringing more life to her table. She was recently on the Food Networks Guys Grocery Games (and WON!!), and also featured on NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Actively Northwest, Northwest Wild Country, iHeart Radio and more. 

Chef Kirsten, used our PolkaDot Cupcake Wrappers to showcase her delectable and healthified cupcake. Check out her recap and recipe below. 

The Cupcake. Healthified. 
Recipe and Written by Chef Kirsten Helle, MesadeVida.com 

I believe life is better with an occasional cupcake, don't you? I believe in healthy, wholesome real food and indulging from time to time. The problem with many cupcakes I've had is they are either ridiculously processed from a box mix, or just completely empty of any real nutrition. They are also usually covered in lets face it, the best part, frosting. Frosting is nothing but fat and sugar. Little delicious sugar bombs that make me so happy to eat, but not feel so happy after. 

Who wants food that doesn't make them happy? Not me! 

I tweaked one of my favorite cupcake recipes, from the good old Pillsbury Cookbook, so I can make this little treat for my family a little more often. Wrapped up in Bella Cupcake Couture cupcake wrappers and they are party (or a special Tuesday night) ready! Best of all you can freeze any leftover cupcakes, wrapped tightly in plastic, and just thaw when you want an excuse to celebrate! No traditional frosting, these are topped with fruit and a little fresh real whipped cream for the perfect sweet topping! 

 Note: When I say "healthified" I'm not talking about light necessarily. I'm talking about real food ingredients that our body is meant to process and less sugar. Now, try to get 30 minutes of exercise and eat healthy most days of the week. Then eat a darn cupcake without any guilt from time to time. 

Cupcake Recipe with VIDEO
Makes 12 cupcakes 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (preferably organic)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup raw sugar (such as turbinado)
• 1/2 cup softened butter (preferably organic
• 1/4 cup Tree Top applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup 2% milk or any milk of your choice
• 1/2 cup cream
• 2 Tb sugar

Approximately 2 cups assorted fruit of your choice (sliced strawberries, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in 12 regular size cupcake tins. 

In a medium bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl beat the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the Tree Top applesauce, vanilla and eggs, beat until creamy. In about 6 different additions, add the flour and milk alternately (3 additions each) to the butter mixture, beating the mixture well after each addition. Divide the batter among the 12 cupcake liners and bake for 22 minutes until cooked through (test with a toothpick, if it comes out without crumbs it's ready) - don't over-cook. Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the muffin tin then remove to a cooling rack until completely cool. 

Meanwhile beat the cold cream and sugar in a cold bowl to soft peaks and slice your fruit.  

To assemble cut the top off of the muffin and layer on some fruit, plus a small dollop of whipped cream. Put the top on and add another little dollop of cream and some more fruit. 

Wrap up in your Bella Cupcake Couture  PolkaDot Cupcake Wrappers  and enjoy La Dulce Vida! 

Bio: Chef Kirsten Helle is a personal chef, nutrition consultant and creator of www.MesadeVida.com. Having lost over 100 pounds by setting out to create a healthy new family legacy and giving up fad diets, she helps inspire families to bring more life to their tables! Find hundreds of healthy, real food recipes to bring more life to your table at MesadeVida.com!

For more recipes and how to tutorials, check out our cupcake event tips section.