I wish summer would just get here already.  It has been raining for nearly a week straight.  I mean come on, sunshine, come out!  May showers better bring June sun rays!  I’m ready for my fruit and summer foods, warm-weather smoothies and burgers from the grill!  I’m going camping in a few weeks, so seriously, I need the warm, dry weather to hurry up and get here.

In the meantime, I guess it gives me a few extra weeks to get my body beach-ready.  I sit here typing because standing and walking stresses my tight hamstrings and going from horizontal to vertical (aka sitting up) reminds me that I have been doing “Ab Ripper X”.  Yes, you may be surprised that I simultaneously host a baking blog and spend most days doing at least some physical fitness activity (ranging from dancing to yoga to running to weights).  Yup, I’m a strange dichotomy.  Confession: P90X Plyometrics DVD (it’s insane; if you aren’t already pretty adept at gym-type-stuff, do not start here…): host starts the show reminding us that we should take water breaks as needed.  “Not McDonald’s breaks, not Coca-Cola breaks.”  I swear, he says that.  What did he not say?  He did not forbid chocolate truffle breaks.  Yup, I went there.  Water + truffle break.  Whatever, I needed a kick.  And guess what, if I can get through the 60-minute Plyo workout, I don’t want anybody telling me I can’t have a bon-bon.

Despite working out, I know you still have to watch what you eat, but I don’t exactly do diets.  I say be healthy, eat appropriate portions, and don’t forbid yourself from eating the things you like.  So yeah I have ice cream several times each week, just not a huge sundae.  Yeah, I’d indulge in a hamburger, but I don’t have red meat much more than once per week.  Like carbs?  Good for you, so do I.  Eat them!  Just don’t overdo it.  At least that’s how I look at life and food and health and happiness.

That being said, we can now look at today’s recipe through new eyes.  Yes, they are cupcakes full of sugar and sweetness.  But, they are mini cupcakes.  One bite and you’re done.  So long as you don’t use this as a justification to have 10 of them (ahem, I do have a coworker who does this without shame), I say ENJOY!  You can have your mini cupcake and eat it too, and still live healthy!

FYI: I halved the recipe below without a problem.  That ended up making 38 mini cupcakes.

Pink Grapefruit Mini Cupcakes
source: Health.com

cupcakes
2 c cake flour (use all-purpose if preferred)
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 c unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 c sugar
4 large eggs
1 c reduced-fat greek yogurt
1 t vanilla extract
4 T pink grapefruit zest

frosting
8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
4 c powdered sugar
1/8 t vanilla extract
1 t pink grapefruit zest
1 T pink grapefruit juice (or more to taste)*
red food coloring

• Preheat oven to 350
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
• With a mixer, blend together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, beat well. 
• Add half of the flour mixture and combine well, then add the second half of the flour. 
• Add yogurt and vanilla, blending at low speed.  Blend in zest.
• Scoop dough into mini baking cups (about 2/3 full) and bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.
• Cool completely.
• To make frosting, beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla, grapefruit zest, and grapefruit juice, blending until smooth. Tint with food coloring as desired.

*I used about 2 T of grapefruit juice to suit my taste.  Remember that if you add extra juice, you will likely need to add more powdered sugar for consistency.

serves: about 70 (that’s why I halved it!)
calories: 116