DIY: Healthy Yellow Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

I have been wanting to bake a cake ever since I got home from school. It's been about two months now and I've finally gotten around to do it -- wooo! This weekend was the 4th of July and also my grandpa's birthday, so I wanted to do something special and bake a cake. Since I'm sort of on a healthy kick at the moment; I kind of wanted to make this cake some-what healthy, but with the thought that "hey, it's a cake, it's okay if sweets are involved!" So, here you go! My recipe for a healthy yellow cake with cream cheese frosting!!

We're going to make the cake batter first!! 

*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and get out your 9x13 pan - don't forget to thoroughly grease it*

Ingredients:

~ 1/2 cup butter, softened 

~1 1/2 cups sugar

~ 3 eggs

~ 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

~ 1 tsp salt

~ 1 1/4 cups milk

~ 1 tsp vanilla extract 

~ ground cinnamon 

Take the softened butter (I put it into the microwave for about 30-40 seconds) and sugar and beat them together with what ever mixer you have around the kitchen. I used my hand mixer. Beat these two ingredients until it's light and fluffy.

It should look like so! Next, add the eggs and beat until it's light and fully incorporated. 

Gradually add in the whole wheat flour (which is a lot better for you than regular flour) and the milk. Beat that until it is mixed in thoroughly.

The salt and the vanilla extract are the last to be added into the batter. 

*You can add more vanilla is you so desire - for a more vanilla-y taste*

Now you don't have to add cinnamon to the mix, but I just loveeee me some cinnamon. Just a dash or two is fine!

* Now with everything mixed together, beat it again for

 about 3 minutes before you pour it into your pan*

Once your oven is done preheating. Pour your mixture into your pan and place it in. Leave it in for 25-30 minutes.

Now, while the cake is in the oven, make the cream cheese icing! 

Ingredients:

~ 12 ounces reduced fat cream cheese (at room temp)

~ 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

~ 3 TBS low-fat plain Greek yogurt 

~ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

*note: if you do not like greek yogurt, you can substitute

 it for some unsalted butter. I'm sticking with the 

yogurt since it's a little bit healthier*

Place your two slabs of cream cheese into a mixing bowl, gradually adding the sugar.

Next, put in your 3 TBS of yogurt. 

*this is where you would put the butter in instead of the yogurt*

And lastly, the vanilla!!

After the cake is done. Let it cool for about 20 minutes. Flip it onto the dish of your desire. If it does not come out of the pan smoothly, you might need to let it cool some more. OR. Take a damp kitchen towel to the bottom of the pan and gently tap.

After it has finished cooling, ice your cake!

Now I wanted to decorate the cake a little patriotic seeing as it was 4th of July weekend. But you don't need it to be a holiday to sport the festive red/white/blue colors! You'll need strawberries and blueberries.

The finished look!!

I hoped you enjoyed this little recipe! I have been so busy recently - I just got a new job! Finally get to start saving money for second year at my university. Also, I need a little spending money for my trip to London in 2 weeks with my mom! I am so excited to be there again for the 3rd time. If you guys have any suggestions on super cool places to visit while in London - let me know!!

As another week is upon us, I'm another week closer to going back to school! Excited yet sad, because I don't want summer to end! Feels like it just started. Hope you guys are having an amazing summer!

If you try out this treat, don't forget to tell me how it goes!!

-- Lindsey xx

DIY: Cinnamon Brown Sugar Lip Scrub

Do you ever get those disgusting chapped lips that won't seem to go away no matter how many moisturizing lip balms you've tried? Well then this lip scrub is just what you need! 

Cheesy little line, but honestly this lip scrub is a life savior for my chapped lips. I have never bought a lip scrub, just because I didn't want to spend the money. Some can be quite expensive. I remember watching a diy lip scrub on Michelle Phan's youtube channel about four years ago and thinking, "hey, I can do this." Since then I tried different "do it yourself" lip scrubs with items that I found in my pantry - a little bit of trail and error. Once I made this little concoction, I thought, "this is it, this is my holy grail". Not only does it work wonders on my chapped lips, but also, it doesn't cost much since these are all items you can find in your kitchen! So, let's begin!

What you'll need:

~ 2 tsp of brown sugar

~ 1 tsp of olive oil

~ 1 tsp of pure honey

~ 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

~ Dash of ground cinnamon

~ mixing bowl

~ small container 

Mix together the honey and olive oil - natural moisturizers. 

*Note: you might need to add a little bit more olive oil (1/4 tsp) to make the consistency of the scrub a little less thick. If needed, don't do so until the very end. I will tell you when.*

Now, take your 2 tsp of brown sugar and add it to the bowl with honey/olive oil. The sugar will be the gentile exfoliant - removing the dead skin from your lips. 

Add the vanilla extract into the mixture - to make it smell nice. If you notice it to be too tick and glupy, add the 1/4 tsp of olive oil as instructed before.

Now it's time for your dash of cinnamon, just as an added spice.

The lighting went a little funky in this photo - my apologies. 

But this is optional. Add 1/8 tsp of petroleum jelly if you so desire. This will make the consistency of the scrub smoother. 

Voila!!!

And there you have it folks! Your Cinnamon Brown Sugar Lip Scrub. As tempting as it might be, try not to lick it off your lips, because then you'd be licking dead skin - yuck!! Apply a small amount onto your lips and gently scrub for a minute. Then, leave it on for about 4 minutes and wash it off with warm water.  Between uses, store in an air-tight container and place in the refrigerator. Finish your lips off with your favorite Chapstick and then you're done!!

Let me know if you try this little recipe for your lips out and if you like it!!

--Lindsey xx