I have tons of toys in my toy box.  Toys that stretch and toys that squeak.  Toys that crinkle and toys that bounce.  There are even toys that never get any attention because, well, they’re so deep down in my toy box that I can barely reach them.

However, there are two toys that are my absolute favorite.

The first toy is a tennis ball.  I could play catch with Mom (or myself) for hours.  I simply love how the ball bounces down the hall.  And since I love to run, I get excited every time I have to chase it.  In fact, I’ve been known to signal to Mom on any occasion that I’m ready for another game of catch.

My other favorite toy is a pink fuzzy slipper.  I’ve had it for years.  This slipper has been with me on car trips and has kept me entertained while Mom’s on the phone.  I’ve even fallen asleep with it in my mouth a few times.  At any given moment you can catch me carrying this slipper around.  There’s just one problem.

No matter what I do, I can’t play with both toys at once.

One day, I had the toughest time choosing which toy I was going to play with.  I pulled both the tennis ball and slipper out of my toy box and laid them on the floor.  I looked back and forth at both of them and thought, “slipper or ball?  Ball or slipper?”

Honestly, I knew this dilemma wasn’t that hard.  I had to just make the decision to…choose.  In the words of Martha Beck, “Every day brings new choices.”  And, as Nelson Mandela stated…

We’ve all been forced to make a difficult choice.  Whether it’s as small as which route to take during a walk, or as big as whether to move to a new city.

Having the ability to choose is powerful.  It means that we can live the life we want for ourselves.  Every decision that we make is a step towards living out our beliefs and values.  It even gives us the power to grow from our experiences and allows us to take the next step in our path.

So, use that power to make choices as an outlet for good.  Use it as a platform to live out your dreams instead of succumbing to your downs.  Challenge yourself to make a choice instead of riding the fence of uncertainty.  Being indecisive about a situation will keep you from moving forward.

And, most importantly, understand that your choices affect those around you.  So, be empathetic in your decision.

As for me, I chose the tennis ball.  While the slipper is a great toy, on this day I wanted to spend some quality time with Mom.  So, what better way to do that than to play a little catch?

These Apple Cider & Cranberry Pupcakes are dedicated to finally making that choice that you’ve wrestled with and moving forward on your path.

And of course, we believe that every pupcake has a love story.  So, while your favorite pup is PUPPY LOVIN’ on these pupcakes, we’d love to hear from you.

Has then ever been a choice you were struggling to make?  What finally helped you make a decision?

Please share your pupcake story in the box below.

And, after you’ve tried this recipe please share it with us @pupcakesugar on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or all three.  We’d love to see how they turned out for you.

Ingredients

Apple Cider & Cranberry Pupcakes

• ½ Cup Brown Rice Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ⅓ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Egg
• ¼ Cup Cranberries

Coconut Cream Frosting

½ Cup Coconut Cream

Instructions

Yields: 12 Mini Pupcakes

For Apple Cider & Cranberry Pupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line 12 1.75-inch mini-muffin pan with paper bake cups and set aside.
2. In small bowl mix together, flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl add olive oil, applesauce, apple cider vinegar and egg. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes or until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients into the mixture and blend for approximately 2 minutes until well mixed.
5. Stir in cranberries.
6. Fill each cupcake liner with 1 tablespoon of pupcake mix.
7. Bake pupcakes for 12 minutes. Pupcakes are done when you can stick a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
8. Spread or pipe coconut cream frosting onto the pupcakes.
9. Add a few cranberries on top of pupcake for garnish (optional)

For Coconut Cream Frosting

1. Refrigerate coconut cream over night to allow it to get hard.
2. In large mixing bowl beat coconut cream for 45 to 60 seconds until it is light and fluffy.
3. Spread or pipe coconut cream frosting onto pupcakes
4. Add a few cranberries on top of pupcake for garnish (optional)

Notes

• This recipe is for a fun treat ONLY. It should not replace your dog’s regular meals.  Please consult with your vet on the best plan for your dog’s diet.