Rhubarb Cupcakes

Rhubarb Cupcakes

A few weeks ago my mother went to a BIG farmers market, and bought up BIG..

She has been struggling to use up all the beautiful produce, before it spoils..

Enter a spare bunch of rhubarb, delivered into my hot little hands..

Crumble or buckle you say?-

Hell no, it's cupcakes all the way :)

This ambitious gamble, turned out very well indeed.
I found a recipe on the net, for a rhubarb cake, which already used apple sauce..

I adjusted the rest accordingly, substituting apple juice concentrate for sugar & canola oil for butter ..

Hot from the oven, the cakes, although meeting the toothpick test-seemed moist to the point of- under done..
Today however, they are dense, moist as can be and delicious.

I made a simple vanilla buttercream frosting.
Sprinkled desicated coconut on top.

Made a rhubarb syrup with: stewed rhubarb, confectioners sugar & soy milk;

And lightly decorated the frosting with it..

A really delicious dessert.

The flavours are subtle, but together- they slowly creep up on you, until in one exctasy filled mouthful, you cry- mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmn

Apple & Dried Fruit Cupcakes with Orange & Cinnamon Buttercream

Apple & Dried Fruit Cupcakes with Orange & Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

Dear Melika, from Flickr sent me some chick peeps in the mail yesterday..

Delighted by their sunshine yellow appearance, I started scheming up potential cupcake ideas..

Sadly (still on the natural sweetener kick) I only had apple juice concentrate.

I didn't think marshmallow would be a good buddy with apple, so put the peeps away for another day..

Friends of apples:

*cinnamon *pear *rhubarb *raisins *orange peel *oats *ginger

SO-

Raisins & dried orange peel, pre-soaked in hot water & maple syrup, stirred through an apple batter.

The batter was given a slight apple edge, with the use of the juice concentrate (instead of sugar) and apple sauce (to lower the fat content).

The cakes had a nice texture, but could have been a little more moist (maybe more apple sauce?)..

The frosting used confectioners sugar and partially hydrogenated margarine.

In place of milk, I used orange juice, and added some orange essence for an extra boost.

I also sprinkled in some cinnamon, and a dash of vanilla essence.

All in all- delicious!

My sampler mother said they were the best so far..
My non fruity-loving husband, said they were good, but not his thing..

A real nice autumnal cupcake :)

Scandinavian Apple Chai Cupcakes

Blue Birthday Boy Cupcakes

Last week my brother flew in, from out of state, for a conference.

The week before was his birthday, and the plan was that our family, would celebrate his birthday, with dinner out.

As it turned out, my brother wasn't feeling too good, so we got take-out, but a birthday boy, is a birthday boy- so of course I made cupcakes..

As it happened, my dear friends partner, also celebrated his birthday that week-
And I was visiting with them the following day-
So cupcakes for 2 birthday boys..

Again I went with all natural sweeteners-
This time apple juice concentrate- I am in love!

The plan was a simple & basic vanilla on vanilla, with a little almond meal thrown in there..

To cut down the fat, I also used some apple sauce..

With the apple juice concentrate & sauce, the cakes took on an interesting apple-ish taste..

They were yummy- but not vanilla on vanilla.

The following day, I made a chai tea frosting, to use instead of the vanilla.

It used:

darjling tea, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and a small dollop of honey.

OH BOY! - heaven in a mouthful.

Teamed with the apple flavour of the cakes- is was divine.

Birthday boy #2 - C, joked that I didn't need to go off to NYC to study baking, I was all ready to open my shop!

In fact, a "Sallys Country Kitchen" is already operating down the road, and C thinks it's time to claim ownership! :)

Yummy Yummy Yummy!
I will definitely be making apple chai cupcakes again! :)