Peaches 'n Cream Cupcakes
I'm a sucker for a good deal on fruit, so when I saw peaches on sale at a local grocery store, I tried not to think too hard about the fact that they aren't really in season yet. I know how that voodoo magic happens, but I prefer not to think about it. I just buy the fruit and enjoy it.
I hope you didn't think I just ate them plain. Of course I didn't. I let Alexis eat like three of them, and then a couple more found their way into cupcakes.
I have a thing for putting fruit in the middle of a cupcake, as you may remember. These aren't quite as good as the Strawberry Shortcake predecessors, but that's like saying winning $1,000 isn't as good as winning $10,000. THERE ARE NO LOSERS IN THIS GAME. It's just that the strawberry ones are other-worldly.
These are good.
REALLY GOOD.
They seem a little more complicated than they really are, by the way. Here's the trick -- first you make the cupcakes and then you cut a whole in the middle.
Then you put some peach stuff in that hole.
Frosting hides all the fun, which just means that the peach filling is a fun little surprise for anyone who you deem cupcake-worthy.
See? Easy!
Peaches 'n Cream Cupcakes
(makes 12 cupcakes)
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup peach filling
Filling
2 cups peaches, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Sugar to taste (I used 3 tablespoons -- out of season peaches aren't very sweet)
Frosting
1 8-oz package cream cheese or mascarpone cheese (mascarpone holds up better because it's more rigid, but it's super expensive)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with super cute liners of your choice.
2. Throw the filling ingredients in a saucepan (peaches, cornstarch, and sugar). Cook over medium heat until the peaches are soft -- it took mine about five minutes. Toss the whole shebang into a blender once it is cooked and mash it all up. I used an immersion blender and it worked just fine. BTW, you can leave the peels on for this. They aren't noticeable.
3. Place the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir them up with a whisk.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla.
5. Put the wet ingredients in the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix at low speed until just combined.
6. Fold in 1/2 cup of the peach filling stuff.
7. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when you stab a cupcake. Not that I would stab a cupcake. Obviously.
8. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before you cut the little circle in them. To do that, just cut a circle with a knife and pull out the chunk of cupcake. It doesn't matter if your circle isn't perfect. You can hide the evidence by eating the cupcake middles.
9. Place peach filling in the middle of the cupcakes. Set them aside while you make the frosting.
10. To make the frosting, place your ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix at low speed for about 30 seconds or until the powdered sugar is incorporated. Then mix it at high until peaks form.
11. Use a piping bag to put the frosting on top of the cupcakes.
12. Be happy. You have Peaches 'n Cream Cupcakes.
Recipe
Reader Comments (4)
These look amazing - and expensive or not, mascarpone makes delightful frosting!
I made the strawberry shortcake ones and they were DELICIOUS. That icing was out of this world. I'll be making these as well, but adding some pumpkin pie spice into the peaches. (peaches + ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg = amazing)
i'm not really into cake. i know, i know. i am, however, a huge fan of angel food cake. bet these would even best the strawberry ones if they were in the light joyful cloud that is angel food.
regardless, STILL GOOD!
The grocery store must have been pumping some peach perfume through the vents because I walked around the peaches display -- them, smelling all sweet and awesome -- and OMG I HAD TO HAVE PEACHES.
They sucked, of course. Damn supermarket. But now I'm going to make these with the leftover fruit! :)