8.01.2011

frosted peach cupcakes



What happens when you leave your in-laws home in Georgia with a giant box of peaches? The original intent was to split the box between us, but as we left our visit, they insisted we take the entire box. As much as my husband, 2 year old and I would love to devour all of these peaches while perfectly in season, realistically the 3 of us could never do it.
So, what could I bake? What could I cook? I began thinking about ideas and cupcakes were the first thing that came to mind. I started with a recipe from smittenkitchen.com, while although tasty, it wasn't what I was craving in my 7 months pregnant-knowing exactly what I wanted state (believe me I was shocked since I love everything that comes from that blog).
I decided to write down a list of ingredients I wanted to use, and tinkered from there. After a couple batches, I finally found what I was looking for. A buttery, slightly tangy, sweet cupcake frosted with a not-so-cream-cheesy cream cheese frosting with the crunch of brown sugar.
Peach Cupcakes with Crunchy Cream Cheese Icing
(original by Meredith)
Makes: 12 cupcakes (this recipe can be easily doubled for 24 cupcakes)

1 1/2 cups Cake Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter, softened
3 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup light Brown Sugar, packed
1 Eggs, large
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Frangelico liqueur
2 fresh Peaches, peeled and pitted
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with liners, or lightly grease tins if not using liners.

Finely chop both peaches, or if you’re lazy like me just whir them in the food processor. Pour the Frangelico on top of the peaches, set aside.

Combine cake flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a bowl; whisk to sift.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar on low-medium speed for 5 minutes. Add egg and scrape sides and bottom of the bowl completely (if you double, add one egg at a time, scraping after each addition). Mix until egg is completely incorporated into the mixture. Stir in vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the bowl, stirring until just combined. Scrape down bowl. Fold in peach and Frangelico mixture, by hand, until just combined.

Fill muffin liners a little over 3/4 full, leaving a little space at the top to prevent overflow. Bake in a preheated oven, 28-30 minutes (in my oven it takes 30 minutes), until tops are slightly golden, a cake tester comes out clean, or when you press lightly on the top of the cupcake, it springs back quickly. Allow to sit in pan for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack. *Because of the fruit and brown sugar, you want to give these cupcakes plenty of time to bake so you don't have mush in the center, which is why this is a longer bake time than normal cupcakes.
Icing
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup Butter, Softened
3 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and allow to mix for several minutes, until light and smooth. Mix in vanilla extract. Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes (I always pipe).

3 comments:

  1. Meredith, these were so yummy! The peach and sweetness was subtle which I liked. I didn't know you have a food blog! How cool!!!

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  2. There's nothing like fresh peaches, adn I'm sure these cupcakes were out-of-this-world. Beautiful pictures, by the way!

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  3. Oh Snap! I think I am going to have to make these....Oh NUM NUM!

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