Get adventurous with your cupcake flavors
Newly chic though they are, appearing on an ever wider range of social scenes, cupcakes are still their disarming little selves under all the fancy frosting and avant-garde garnish.
So relax: You can still bake up a batch without taking an advanced culinary course. Anyone can have a lot of fun playing the variations game – starting with three new recipes that showcase honey.
Cupcake flavors are more adventurous now, said Chicago-based recipe developer Lisa Bishop, as people all over the country are much more open to trying ethnic and other variations. She cited as examples tropical flavors, flavors from the islands and those showing Latin influence, as well as grown-up flavors such as citrus and bittersweet chocolate.
The Key lime cupcake was her family’s favorite, Bishop said. Besides her husband, family includes a 9-year-old boy who doesn’t go for sweet things and a 10-year-old daughter who likes all sweet things, she explained.
The limes give a touch of citrus, the coconut milk a hint of Thai cuisine, and the nuts give texture. The honey, which Bishop pointed out is not as sweet as sugar, helps produce a dense, moist cake. Clover honey and wildflower honey are both mild flavored.
Key Lime Macadamia Nut Cupcakes
Associated Press recipe developed by Lisa Bishop, courtesy National Honey Board
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon zest and 1/4 cup juice from Key limes (see note)
3/4 cup canned coconut milk (see note)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup mild honey, preferably clover
2 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a liquid measure, combine Key lime zest and juice, and coconut milk; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy; scraping sides of bowl, as necessary. Add honey; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition.
Add half of the reserved dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix on low until just combined. With mixer running on low, slowly add the lime mixture. Add remaining dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in coconut and macadamia nuts. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove to wire rack; cool.
Frost with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows), if desired.
Note: Regular limes may be substituted. Coconut milk may be found with Thai or Asian cooking ingredients.
Yield: 12 to 16 cupcakes.
Approximate nutrition per cupcake, with frosting (based on 16): 408 calories, 19 grams fat (11.6 grams saturated, 40 percent fat calories), 4 grams protein, 58 grams carbohydrate, 54 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 262 milligrams sodium.
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons mild honey, preferably clover
4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
In a mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add lime juice and honey; mix well. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until desired spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes and top with coconut.
These lavender-grapefruit cupcakes have just a hint of tangy grapefruit and a lightly lavender-flecked dough. “It’s very subtle. Don’t be afraid this is going to be some kind of potpourri,” Bishop said.
Lavender Pink Grapefruit Cupcakes
Associated Press recipe developed by Lisa Bishop, courtesy National Honey Board
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lavender flowers (no stems)
1/2 cup pink grapefruit juice
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup mild honey, preferably clover
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the back of a spoon, crush lavender flowers and combine with flour mixture; mix well and set aside.
In a liquid measure, combine pink grapefruit juice and buttermilk; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy; scraping sides of bowl, as necessary. Add honey; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition.
Add half of the reserved dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix on low until just combined. With mixer running on low, slowly add the grapefruit mixture. Add remaining dry ingredients until just combined. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove to wire rack; cool.
Frost with Pink Grapefruit Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows), if desired.
Yield: 12 to 14 cupcakes
Approximate nutrition per cupcake, with frosting (based on 14): 369 calories, 14 grams fat (8.5 grams saturated, 34 percent fat calories), 3 grams protein, 60 grams carbohydrate, 66 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 157 milligrams sodium.
Pink Grapefruit Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup grapefruit juice
2 tablespoons mild honey, preferably clover
4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 drops red food coloring (optional)
In a mixing bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add grapefruit juice and honey; mix well. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until desired spreading consistency. For a darker pink color, add food coloring, if desired.
Dede Wilson’s newly published “A Baker’s Field Guide to Cupcakes” (Harvard Common Press, 2006, $17.95) organizes its 60 recipes into sections, starting with seven master recipes for cupcakes and eight for frostings, buttercream and glaze. Then follow cupcakes adapted for 20 special occasions ranging from Valentine’s Day and Halloween to weddings and children’s birthdays, each colorfully illustrated.
The crumb cake cupcake master recipe is the basis for a seasonal Caramel Apple Cupcake, which could well dress up a Thanksgiving table. The sour cream makes a very moist coffeecake; the recipe works well with the addition of fruit or nuts, or just as a plain spiced version.
“If you use frozen berries,” Wilson writes, “there is no need to defrost them before adding them to the batter.” The cupcakes will keep for about 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
Master recipe:
Crumb Cake Cupcakes
From “A Baker’s Field Guide to Cupcakes” by Dede Wilson, Harvard Common Press, 2006, $17.95
For the streusel:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
For the cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries, or 1 1/2 cups nuts, toasted and finely chopped (try walnuts, pecans, and/or almonds; see note)
To make the streusel, in a large bowl stir together melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt until well combined. Stir in flour until smooth. Mixture should clumb and form “crumbs” when squeezed between fingertips. Set aside.
To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper liners in all wells of one 12-cup and one 6-cup baking tin.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl to aerate and combine; set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Beat in extracts. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down after each addition, allowing each egg to be absorbed before continuing. Add the flour mixture in 4 additions, alternately with the sour cream. Begin and end with the flour mixture, stopping when there are still a few streaks of flour. Fold in the fruit and/or nuts, if using, until just combined.
Divide batter evenly among cupcake wells. Place a generous amount of streusel on top of each cupcake, using your fingers to compress it into crumbs and to scatter it evenly. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs.
Cool pans on racks for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely.
Note: To toast nuts, spread in a single layer on a jellyroll pan and toast in a 350-degree oven until fragrant and just beginning to color, about 5 to 10 minutes. Shake the pan once or twice during toasting to ensure even browning.
Yield: 18 cupcakes
Approximate nutrition per cupcake, using walnuts: 325 calories, 18 grams fat (8 grams saturated, 49 percent fat calories), 7 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrate, 56 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 82 milligrams sodium.
These cupcakes could be a twist on a tradition dessert offering – instead of an apple pie. Because the streusel and caramel are sweet, it’s best to use tart apples, such as Granny Smith, to balance out the flavors.
Caramel Apple Cupcakes
From “A Baker’s Field Guide to Cupcakes” by Dede Wilson, Harvard Common Press, 2006, $17.95
2/3 cup peeled and diced Granny Smith apples
2/3 cup walnut halves, toasted and chopped
1 batch batter and streusel from Crumb Cake Cupcakes, prepared without fruit or nuts
18 caramel candies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper liners in all wells of one 12-cup and one 6-cup cupcake tins.
Fold the chopped apples and walnuts into the plain cupcake batter. Fill each paper liner about one-quarter of the way full with batter. Top with a bit of streusel, then fill with remaining batter. Top with remaining streusel. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs. Cool pans on racks for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to cool completely.
Melt caramels in top of double boiler or in microwave. Drizzle caramel over tops of cooled cupcakes using a fork or teaspoon. Cupcakes are now ready to serve.
Yield: 18 cupcakes
Approximate nutrition per serving: 331 calories, 15 grams fat (8 grams saturated, 42 percent fat calories), 6 grams protein, 43 grams carbohydrate, 56 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 106 milligrams sodium.