Cupcake

When iced, these carrot-filled cupcakes make heavenly desserts or snacks. Unfrosted, they are perfect for breakfast on the run or a lunch-box treat. Use the large holes of a box grater, or the shredding disk of a food processor, to shred the carrots.

I felt like a modern-day Pied Piper as I carried a tray of these cupcakes to the dessert table at a picnic last fall. A throng of kids sprang up behind me, each one clamoring for a cupcake decorated with the familiar white curlicue and enriched with a hidden cream filling. Soon, all that was left was an empty tray and the hilarious chocolate smears that decorated the faces and fingers of the youngest children. These are simpler to make than you’d imagine and, given the excitement they always inspire, they certainly are worth the effort. You’ll need a pastry bag with a number 10 tip to inject the cream filling into the center of the cupcakes.

When I was a teenager, summer meant the beach. If I was lucky, I’d arrive in time for one of the great big beach-bonfire fiestas staged frequently by my friends, complete with roasted weenies, just a touch of beer (I swear!), and my total favorite—bonfire s’mores. Sadly, times have changed. Only a few Texas beach communities allow bonfires, so I came up with a s’more cupcake that puts me into a beach party mood no matter where I happen to be. The only fire necessary to bring their marsh mallow topping to the pitch-perfect golden brown of a genuine s’more is the skinny blue flame that shoots from my portable kitchen torch. These cupcakes are sure to bring smiles to just about any kid who shows up for a casual party, whether it takes place in the kitchen, at the shore, or on a beachfront deck. Now that my daughter is a seasoned college student, I make the cupcakes in advance, and whip up the marshmallow topping just before party time. I provide disposable plastic pastry bags fitted with open star tips so Fran and her friends can decorate the cupcakes themselves. Then it’s time for me to pass the torch—the kitchen torch, that is. Now that I think of it, it’s not the only torch I’m passing.

One of the pitfalls of having a blog is that you leave yourself open to all sorts of questions. The most common are from folks who want to substitute ingredients. I always want to reach through my computer screen, grab hold of their shoulders, and say, “But I worked so hard to develop this recipe. Please make it just as it is!” When I was working on these cupcakes, I began with the simple idea of individually filled chocolate cakes, similar to the kind I had as a kid, but with an adult sensibility. So I added a pour of Irish cream liqueur to the filling and spiked the ganache icing with a tipple of whiskey, which effectively wiped out the possibility of making these kid-friendly. So please don’t ask if you can make them without either, because the bad news is that you can’t. But the good news is that you can have them all for yourself and you don’t have to share them with the kids.

I made a fool of myself when I met Claudia Fleming, who was for many years a noted pastry chef in New York City. But I couldn’t help myself—I flipped out whenever I tasted her desserts. Her multiflavored combinations managed to perfectly balance familiar, everyday ingredients with sophisticated presentations. Every time I ran into her, I’d gush about how wonderful her desserts were as I watched her slowly backing away from this clearly unbalanced fan. I was always intrigued by her combination of gingerbread with rich, malty stout and was inspired to create a cupcake using the same blend of flavors. I add a bright-tasting lime frosting which complements the spicy cake. If you make these, you’re likely to have a few deranged fans, too. Consider yourself warned.

This is favorite autumn recipe that I like to serve at Halloween or Thanksgiving get-togethers. The little ones just love these moist, spicy cupcakes. They’re delicious with fat-free yogurt frosting, too.

The hardest recipe for me to develop was a really light yellow cake that was still nutritious, moist, and delicious. Well, here it is, and it’s gluten-free to boot. Without the food coloring, the frosting will be a pale lavender color.

So simple, yet so perfect. These cupcakes are topped with a chocolate buttercream frosting made with no butter, no cream—but it’s rich, chocolaty, and creamy nonetheless! This frosting will frost 12 cupcakes if you’re piping it, more if you’re just spreading the frosting. If you have leftover frosting, it will keep for weeks tightly covered in the fridge. Just let it come to room temperature and whip it up again. For added panache, dress these cupcakes up with sprinkles for kids’ birthday parties, or top them with Rice Milk Chocolate Ganache (page 104).

The perfect birthday cupcake, these vanilla beauties can be decorated any way you like. Top them with confetti, decorating sugar, sugared violets, edible flowers . . . the possibilities are endless. My husband says they taste like a vegan Twinkie. I take that as a compliment.

Of all the cupcakes in this book, these are my favorite. When I baked up a dozen, I personally consumed nine out of twelve. I even ate the one I had set aside for my husband. Yup, it’s true. They’re that good.

Celebrate the Fourth of July in healthy style with this very berrybedecked vanilla cupcake. Berries will be in their prime for this gorgeous, patriotic dessert.

Much more wholesome than the usual Halloween candy, these cupcakes will captivate your little ghosts and goblins.

Baked inside gluten-free ice cream cones (see Sources, page 100), these cupcakes are a fun-filled novelty. Get creative with your own favorite frostings and don’t forget the sprinkles!

Chocolate cake with a whipped cream center is then topped with chocolate frosting, more whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and a cherry.

Do you remember eating Hostess’s prepackaged cupcakes with a creamfilled center? My version comes without the chemicals and preservatives.

German chocolate cake did not originate in Germany—according to The Dictionary of American Food and Drink, it was invented by a reader of a Dallas newspaper in 1957. This treat is typically laden with sugar and evaporated milk. Enjoy my gluten-free, dairy-free version instead.

The idea for this unique flavor combination came from our friends over at Kim and Jake’s Cakes, a fabulous bakery here in Boulder, Colorado. For a finishing touch, top with Cream Cheese Frosting (page 95), or leave them plain and serve alongside eggs and fruit salad for a delightfully wholesome, yet elegant brunch.

Fragrant and brimming with health-boosting nutrients, these little cakes are a scrumptious alternative to pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving dinner. Top with Whipped Cream Frosting (page 93).

Here’s a fabulous cupcake to have on hand for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. For extra zing, add 1 tablespoon fresh peeled and minced ginger to the batter (in addition to the ground ginger). I use low-glycemic yacon syrup in place of molasses in this recipe. Top with Cream Cheese Frosting (page 95).

Deliciously cinnamon-y pecan cupcakes are a wonderfully warming treat on a chilly winter day. I like to have mine smothered in Cream Cheese Frosting (page 95) with a cup of dandelion root coffee (you can find the recipe on my website, elanaspantry.com). Garnish these cupcakes with a few chopped pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting (page 95) pairs naturally with these cupcakes. If you can’t have dairy, try them with Vegan Coconut Whip (page 94), which accents their nutty flavor quite nicely. I make these cupcakes every August; they’re a great way to deal with the massive influx of zucchini during peak harvest.

Tart chunks of green apple and warming cinnamon make this healthy and delicious cupcake the ideal after-school snack. Pack, unfrosted, in a lunch box along with a small container of Cream Cheese Frosting (page 95) for a special school-lunch dessert.

Healthy bioflavonoids in orange zest and nutritious antioxidants in rosemary make this nourishing delight the perfect complement to a late afternoon cup of chai.

Try these aromatic, child-pleasing, cinnamon-walnut cupcakes on a Sunday morning. The comforting scent wafting from your kitchen will wake up all of your little sleepyheads. I like to serve these bare, without frosting, because the top of this cupcake is a streusel delight.