Walnut Cupcakes Topped with Rose White Chocolate Mousse and Baklava

picture of a Walnut Cupcake Topped with Rose White Chocolate Mousse and Baklava

Having a seemingly insatiable sweet tooth, baklava, the sticky-sweet treat of layers of buttery phyllo dough, nuts, and honey syrup, has always appealed to me. None the less, I don’t have it too often as my run-ins with baklava are often of the unfortunate “guess how long I have been sitting in this plastic case” […]

Blueberry & Raspberry Ricotta Almond Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

picture of blueberry & raspberry ricotta almond cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Sometimes you want a tasty treat, but you want to feel like it’s healthy… I had such an occasion when I was expected to bring dessert but on the good-for-you side… I wanted to try using fresh almonds (hooray for vitamin E and “good” fat) instead of almond paste. I figured between the almonds, the berries, […]

Cashew, Carrot, Cardamom Cupcakes with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe is inspired by a delicious dessert I had when I was last in India. I actually didn’t know the name of the dessert, but I described it to my coworker and she informed me that what I had was Gajar Halwa or carrot pudding. I considered two preparations, one where I made the […]

Ube Cupcakes with Bubble Buttercream

This is definitely an experimental recipe… one that ended up tasting great, but, trust me, looked a bit funky. I got introduced to Ube in the form of ice cream from Mitchell’s Ice Cream here in San Francisco. I was ready to finally try an Ube cupcake recipe, so I went to Pacific Super, an […]

Pistachio Cupcakes with Rose Petal Buttercream

I made an impromptu decision on a Thursday afternoon to make cupcakes for a party on Friday afternoon. I knew I wanted to make pistachio cupcakes, my homage to Indian sweets. I didn’t have a lot of time or options, so I ran out at lunch to the Ferry Building, conveniently located across the street […]

Banana Cupcakes, a Few Ways

I had request for cupcakes this weekend. They had to be good for breakfast (muffins) and have banana in them. I didn’t want to make a muffin, so I stuck with a cupcake recipe and planned to go light on the frosting. I made two attempts (two full attempts, but a total of three different […]

Carrot Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Orange Peel Nest

I normally don’t feel very inspired to make themed cupcakes for holidays. I consider it dangerous territory into which I don’t dare tread. I never say never, though, that’s for sure. And this past week I was indeed inspired by the colorful caramel robin’s eggs that were for sale at Peet’s Coffee. The vibrant blue […]

Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

I warn you, do not eat these cupcakes without a tall glass of milk nearby. They are crazy rich. I made these peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes for my aunt. She is going to a ladies-only sleepover party down in Cupertino. While I have not been to one these parties, the way my aunt describes […]