Sweet Peach Cupcakes with Peach Buttercream Frosting #Recipe

Ah, peaches!

You might think the peach and I have a long history. Well, we actually do... but, it has been a bumpy one.

I don't ever remember enjoying peaches. I can't even remember peaches that didn't come swimming in their own juices and canned. Not home canned, mind you. The kind that required a high-pitched whine from an electric can opener.

I do remember a doll. I loved my Strawberry Shortcake collection as a child. I had Strawberry and one of her friends, I believe her name was Peach blush. One of the selling features of the small dolls was they were scented to go along with their character name. The peach gal, she did not smell like peaches. A manufactured sweet that made me feel ill when I held her too close to my nose. Poor little doll. She gave peaches a bad name.

But my husband turned the tide in my anti-peach sentiment. He brought me a real peach... fuzzy, juicy and fragrant. Nothing like the doll. The fruit is just not easy to imitate.

With peach season in full swing I wanted to put it into a cupcake. Now, most of the recipes I saw called for alcohol or cream cheese... but none of them just celebrated the simple goodness of a peach. So frustrated by the gaping hole in my cookbook arsenal I went about combining and creating a cupcake that is more peach filled muffin than sweet white cake. Don't get me wrong, paired with the sweet and peachy buttercream frosting, this is a lovely treat and not just a breakfast snack.

Grab some overripe peaches and let's get baking!

Sweet Peach Cupcakes with Peach Buttercream Frosting

Sweet Peach Cupcakes
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
You Will Need:

• 1/2 c. peach, pureed
• 3 c. cake flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 3/4 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 3/4 c. dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 1 1/2 large, ripe peaches, peeled, cored, and chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the 30 muffin tins with papers.

In a small saucepan reduce the 1/2 c. peach puree by almost half. Let it cool and set aside.

Sift together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. In a stand mixer cream the butter and sugar together for 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl in between. Then add the vanilla and almond extract. Add the buttermilk and cooled puree, then stir in the dry ingredients.

Fill the muffin papers 3/4 full and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.


Peach Buttercream Frosting

adapted from Southern Living
You Will Need:

• 1 large sliced peach
• 3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 Tbsp. meringue powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 5 c. powdered sugar

Put the peaches in a blender till smooth. You will need 1/2 c. puree.

Beat the butter and peach puree on medium speed. Don't worry if it isn't smooth. Then add the salt, meringue powder and vanilla till incorporated. Start adding the powdered sugar a little at a time till you reach a thick consistency. Thin with a little water or cream as necessary.

I like the 1M Wilton tip with the large coupler for decorating my cupcakes.

Enjoy!