Peach Perfection

It took me quite a few tries to get this recipe down (my poor roommates had a tough time of eating all my mishaps) but once I got it right, we were all in peach heaven. My first recipe called for too many peaches (canned peaches which are much wetter than fresh peaches) to dry ingredients therefore the cupcakes kept sinking and turning out too moist and flat. The recipe also said to line the bottom of each cupcake holder with the peach puree which made it virtually impossible for the batter to rise. So I decided to switch recipes and I found that part of the problem came from the vanilla cupcake recipe that I was using and not just from the amount and type of peaches. So, once I changed my cupcake recipe a little, reduced the the amount of peaches and diced them instead of mashing them, my cupcakes were able to rise just above the cupcake holder's lip into a perfect little golden dome. Also, I found that by tossing the diced peaches in some flour before hand, the peaches remained evenly spread throughout the batter instead of sinking to the bottom. When the season is right, I will try fresh peaches instead of canned peaches.

Here's my final cupcake recipe, after quite a lot of tinkering:

Ingredients: (Makes 24 cupcakes)

3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) buttermilk
2 cups canned peaches, diced (or 4 large fresh peaches, peeled, cored, and diced)

Preheat the oven to 350°F(or 177°C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

Directions:

Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda and in a bowl and set aside. With a standing or handheld electric mixer, cream the butter, then add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Between each egg scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the vanilla. Gently mix in the buttermilk (on lowest speed). Stir in the dry ingredients (by hand, not with mixer) and fold in the diced and floured peaches.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners using a 1/4 measuring cup for each cupcake holder. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden and a tester (I use a wooden tooth pick) inserted into the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool for five minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.


The icing for these cupcakes is the basic vanilla buttercream icing only I've added the remaining canned peaches that I crushed with a fork

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons butter, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoon whole milk
3 tablespoons pureed peach (canned)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract



Directions:

Cream butter in a bowl. Slowly add half of the confectioners' sugar and half of the milk. After totally combined, add the rest of the sugar and milk, the peach puree and the vanilla extract. Whip until fluffy. Ice the cupcakes once they have cooled entirely.

Eat and Enjoy!