Apple Zucchini Spice Cake!

When I think of Fall I think of apples! I enjoy cooking with apples year round, but nothing welcomes the cool Fall season like delicious apple treats. Last year I made Apple Spice Cupcakes, and they were a real hit with everyone who tried them! This year I knew I wanted to make them again, but this time I added in some zucchini for some added taste. And they made the cake even more moist!! SO yummy!! 

For my original Apple Spice Cupcakes click HERE

This time I decided to make a cake instead of cupcakes, but the recipe works either way!

Apple Zucchini Spice Cake

What you need:

1 'Spice' boxed cake mix

3 eggs

1 1/3 cups water

1/3 cup oil

2 packages dry vanilla pudding

2 cups chopped apples

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini

Preheat oven to 350'

Prepare cake mix according to the box directions.

Add dry pudding mix.

Chop apples and add into cake mixture.

Grate zucchini and add to cake mixture.

Combine well! 

Pour into greased baking pan and bake for 40 minutes.

Let the cake cool, and then ice if you wish!

ENJOY!

Cinnamon Icing 

Combine 1 tbsp ground cinnamon with one container cream cheese icing.

Mix well! 

Apples! Apples! Apples!

Last week we enjoyed the Fall weather and headed out to my in-laws acreage to go apple picking! It was a beautiful evening and we had a great time picking TONS of apples with Damian's parents! 

Damian got really into the apple picking! Ha!

We managed to pick 2 BIG boxes of apples! And they are VERY delicious!!

Damian and his parents! 

 Apple picking was a great time! But then I realized, hmmm....now I actually need to DO something with all of these apples! I plan on peeling and freezing quite a few, but I wanted to whip something up with some of the apples right away. 

Now most of the time I make things from 'scratch', but sometimes its nice to just make something that is quick, easy, and with just a few ingredients! So I decided to create some 'Apple Spice' cupcakes! And I was VERY pleased at how they turned out!! 

Apple Spice Cupcakes

What you need:

1 'Spice' boxed cake mix

3 eggs

1 1/3 cups water

1/3 cup oil

2 packages dry vanilla pudding

2 cups chopped apples

Preheat oven to 350'

Prepare cake mix according to the box directions.

Chop apples and add into cake mixture.

Add dry pudding mix.

Combine well! 

Scoop into muffin tins and bake for 20-23 minutes.

Let muffins cools.

ENJOY!

**While reading one of my baking cookbooks I discovered that adding dry pudding mixes is a great way to make cupcakes moist and fluffy! And I was very impressed with the result in these cupcakes! Try it!! 

I decided that I wanted to 'ice' these cupcakes so again I took the 'easy' route and used store bought cream cheese icing! Sometimes easy is just better!! However I wanted to add a little something to the icing so I added 1 tbsp cinnamon to the container of icing.

Cinnamon Icing 

Combine 1 tbsp ground cinnamon with one container cream cheese icing.

Mix well! 

Ice the cupcakes and VOILA! 

An EASY and YUMMY fall apple inspired treat!