Dad's Hearty Breakfast Muffin-Cakes

I make these muffins/cupcakes (they work well either way) for the boys, to start their day out right. It starts with a cake mix, because I am both creative and lazy...Chock full of cranberries, nuts and apple-y goodness, you can either top it off with just a dab of cream cheese frosting, or smear with a little butter. you can also substitute the nuts and berries for other add-ins, like pecans over walnuts, or raisins instead of cranberries.

Ingredients:
1 Box Spice cake mix
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 Cup Applesauce, unsweetened
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
3 large eggs
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup MINI semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine cake mix, eggs, oil, and applesauce into a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add in the nuts and berries last, and fold them into the batter by hand with a rubber spatula.

2. I use silicone re-usable liners, but I like to spritz them with some Baker's Joy, to make sure those lil' beauties pop right out!

3. Be careful not to overfill the muffin tins. Like I did, a little. :)

I also had enough batter to make a small loaf of bread. I also tossed a few stray cranberries on top of a few of the muffins. Or cupcakes. I am still not 100% sure what this is, cake or quick bread. But it is darn good with coffee in the morning!

4. Bake at 350 degrees F for approx. 18 minutes for the muffin-cakes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. You will need to bake for 20-28 minutes for a loaf or cake pan. Let cool completely before topping with frosting, or smear some butter on top while warm!

A little powdered sugar goes nicely, too. Or some apple butter. *drools*
These freeze nicely, for making ahead. pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute, top with something delicious, and head off to start your day! Guaranteed to keep your dad moving.