Zucchini. It is fun to eat and fun to write. An all around fantastic veggie that can be made into sweets or savory delights for the tummy. For this month's MS Cupcake Club pick Tracey from Tracey's Culinary Adventures picked the zucchini-spice cupcakes. These cupcakes consist of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg (aka the "spice"), walnuts and damn if I can't remember the other ingredient. Ha, just kidding zucchini. Duh.
Growing up we had 5 acres and an awesome garden. I did not, however, appreciate the garden growing up. That's probably because I had to weed it and kill those stupid green bugs that look like ladybugs but aren't. Now that I'm older I would kill (thousands of those stupid green fake ladybugs) for a garden. Living in a second story condo makes my gardening dreams a bit difficult. Fortunately my step-mom has a great garden and brings me all the goodies and I don't have to do any work. Perfecto! I used some of her home grown zucchini for this recipe.
I made these cupcakes twice. That's right twice. Why? Because they taste awesome (and because I didn't love the pictures I took of the first go round but mostly because they taste awesome). The first go round I made a half recipe of full-size cupcakes (12 cupcakes) and a half recipe of the cream cheese frosting. The half recipe of cream cheese frosting goes a long way. I had a lot extra. Pete was dipping strawberries, blueberries, tortilla chips and Willa in it to finish it up.
I made Pete an extra special cupcake because I love him lots (and because there was so much frosting). He enjoyed it.
The second go round I made mini-cupcakes. I think the mini's were much more photogenic. Look at them strut their stuff. I'm going to bring them to casting call of America's Next Top Model. They are totally fierce.
I like the frosting on the mini's too. On the full size cupcakes I just slathered the frosting on and it kind of made a frosting helmet. Not the most attractive. The mini's were piped and piped is so much better.
So far I have loved both recipes out of Martha Stewart's Cupcake book. Check out Martha Stewart's Cupcake Club to see what the other cupcake bakers did. Up next is a bonus round on September 30 of banana pecan cupcakes. I'm there.
These cuppies look fab Kim - and the frosting, devine.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I love the minis-so cute with the piping. These really were good.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to try these. I've been looking at the recipe, and now that I know it's a good one, I'm making these soon.
ReplyDeleteI love Penzey's, too. Their spices are the best.
You're making me wish I'd made the cream cheese icing. Gorgeous photos!
ReplyDeleteWow, look at you. You are a cupcake super star!
ReplyDeleteToo bad I didn't like these. I thought they tasted too dense. But I am super glad that you LOVED them!
Thanks for baking along with us this month!
Your pick is next! How exciting! :)
Fantabulous! and i TOO like the mini's! this was such a great pick - can't wait for your pick next month! :)
ReplyDeleteYou made them twice...okay, you win this week, and with those little ones with those cute stars on top...very very nice. I thought about minis (because I knew I could eat two of those and not just one of the big ones and somehow that just sounded more fun), but since I was baking with Tracey she wanted to stick by the book, because Tracey is that sort of gal usually, very responsible and all. It's a good thing I DID NOT see that photo of the double frosting, though, as I might have talked myself into one of those! Great job, very pretty inside and out!
ReplyDeleteThe piping does look great! I bought a piping kit with all different types of tips so I'm going to have to use them!
ReplyDeleteI agree.. it made WAY too much frosting and I actually prefer them without.
They do freeze fantastically!
Those minis are adorable with their little piped hats.
ReplyDeleteSo good.
oooh i am a fan of the double layered frosting one...yes! your consistency looks great!
ReplyDeleteYour minis are adorable! And WOW u made them TWICE! You go!!!
ReplyDeleteFab job, Kimmie!
ReplyDeleteOk, I just read and commented on your TWD post and was kind of surprised Willa and Charlie weren't the ones always blamed for things. Well, now I get it. Willa was eaten with some frosting on top. Look out, Charlie!
ReplyDeleteI have two GIANT zucchini sitting on the counter. After seeing these, I'm going to have to make them.
You're right--love the minis--the cheerleaders, ready to cheer on the big guys in the helmets!
You are too funny!
oh yum! I love the piping on the last couple of pictures and love the one with frosting in the middle too!
ReplyDeleteI love the little stars, so fun! Your frosting looks so yummy! I didn't have cream cheese, so I used powdered sugar. I am wishing I'd done the cream cheese.
ReplyDeleteI love your pics and I am jealous you were able to use home-growned zucchini!!
ReplyDeletei love the frosting! it's soo cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for baking with me this month Kim! I'm so excited about this group for so many reasons but one of them is that it introduces me to new blogs I wouldn't have otherwise found - like yours! Your pictures are absolutely stunning and I love your writing style. I'm so glad you liked the cupcakes enough to make them twice! The cream cheese frosting was popular here too :) I'm still walking around looking for things to slather it on...
ReplyDeleteYour cupcakes, photography, and piping is absolutely fabulous! I love the one where you split it and added the cream cheese in the middle! MMMM they look so good!
ReplyDeleteI love the mini's!! And I also love the double layer one! Kudos on making the recipe twice. I know that my friends would like for me to do them again. :-)
ReplyDeleteif your blog had a "like" button, i would click it.
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