Friday, August 7, 2009

Peach Redemption

Boys and girls, I could not let yesterday's peach cupcake disaster go. As soon as those cupcakes flopped, I got on the information super highway and tried to find another peach cupcake recipe.


And voila, I did. I found this amazing recipe for Mini Vanilla-Almond Peach cupcakes on a California fruit website.


As you can see, this cake is beautiful and smooth. The vanilla and almond flavors are really light, so they work excellently beside the peach bits. (Almond is one of my favorite flavors, so I can't wait to try this cupcake sans peaches.) The icing is runnier than I prefer, but since mashed peaches are the only source of liquid, the flavor is terrific.


When I was staging these triumphant pictures, my mom came through and asked, "Are you going to take pictures on that nasty old pan?"

With a smirk, I responded, "Sure I am. It's Southern. Be charmed by it."

My instructions to you are exactly the same. :D

Vanilla-Almond Peach Cupcakes c/o EatCaliforniaFruit.com

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 fresh California peach, pitted and diced

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl.
3. Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until fluffy.
4. Add eggs and extracts, beating well after each addition.
5. Add dry ingredients and milk in alternating halves until mixed.
6. Fold in peaches.
7. Distribute batter into cupcake tins. Batter will make 36 minis (as directed) or 12 regular cupcakes (as I did). My 12 regulars were perfectly baked at 24 minutes.

Fresh Peach Frosting

1 fresh California peach, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Tiny mint leaves (optional garnish)

1. Puree half the peach. Reserve other half.
2. Cream butter and add 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Mix until fluffy.
3. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons of peach puree and vanilla extract and mix.
4. Add remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar and beat until you reach proper icing consistency. If icing is too stiff, add more puree.
5. Optional garnish: Chop remaining peach half and top cupcakes with peach cubes and mint leaves.

8 comments:

Evan said...

Mmmmm...peach cupcakes with runny icing.

The messier you make things look, the better I think they'll taste.

Eva said...

Yay! I am so glad someone else's pans never look like you just got them from teh catalog. Maybe I suck at cleaning them but they always seem to have some stuck on stuff. Or the burnt on stains on the side and bottom. Glad your cupcakes turned out better this time.

Barbara Bakes said...

The fresh peach frosting sounds divine!

Anonymous said...

Yum - they look really good. The texture looks so fluffy and smooth. Good job :)

Amber said...

Those sound and look so good!

Nic said...

Mmmmm, look at the insides of those - they're delicious! Perfect for summer.

Jill @ Jillicious Discoveries said...

Those peach cupcakes look delicious!! Thanks for sharing the recipe--we are peach picking tomorrow! :)

Amanda said...

I haven't been able to bake since these cupcakes, and now I'm in a completely empty apartment drooling over cupcakes gone by. Sigh.

These cupcakes were legitimately fantastic.