Sometimes a recipe no longer
looks or tastes like the original, suffice to say both this and its chocolate version could be sourced back to Taste of Home August/September 1997. The
original cupcakes were re-purposed and so different as a child can be different
from its parents. So much so I could have left off the sourcing completely.
From a chemist’s point of view, there are definite standards that should be
followed in the ratio of flour, fat, eggs and leavening agents. A 3 egg cupcake
recipe that yields two dozen cupcakes does not fulfill the criteria I hold onto.
Heaven help from the one egg wonders, unless of course a whole slew of different
leavening agents are applied. Granted I am thoroughly partial to European style
baked goods and I think very little of the heavy cakes and cupcakes North
American recipes seem to produce. Aside from a health focused economy, I think
it goes back to the British tradition of heavy cakes that in desperation are often
soaked with spirits and other forms of wet stuff. Such culinary sins not even
Taste of Homes is exempt from. For instance they never drained the shredded zucchini
even though fully squeezing out the juices is imperative. Also no additional liquid is required...
SPICE ZUCCHINI CUPCAKES
1 cup fully drained shredded zucchini
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/8 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp pure almond extract
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp very finely grated orange grinds
1 batch Real White Chocolate Buttercream
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Line 12 muffin cups with parchment liners.
- If using ordinary paper liners, lightly spray the liners with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl beat the zucchini, eggs, sugar, oil, and the almond extract.
- In a separate bowl whisk really well together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and the orange rinds.
- With a wooden spoon fold the flour mixture into zucchini mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared baking cups.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops spring back. Do NOT overbake.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool down completely.
- Meanwhile make a batch of Real White Chocolate Buttercream
- With a large star tip pipe the buttercream on the tops.
