Cupcakes in Bloom

Adapted from Colleen Mullaney's Fairy Parties: Recipes, Crafts, and Games for Enchanting Celebrations (Chronicle Books, 2010), these colorful, kid-sized treats will sweeten every occasion, from a children's party to a random weeknight. Check your supermarket, farmer's market, or garden for edible flowers, which propel the cupcakes from tasty desserts to deliciously different must-haves.

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract/essence
3/4 cup buttermilk

Vanilla Icing
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract/essence
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons water
Drop of pink or green food coloring (optional)

18 edible flowers, such as violets, pansies, or violas
Water for brushing
Superfine sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk to blend.

3. In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Beat in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk in 2 increments until blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice.

4. Fill each lined muffin cup three-fourths full. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the muffins from the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

5. For the icing: In a medium bowl, combine butter and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the water, until fluffy and smooth. Add the food coloring (if using) and stir to blend evenly. Using a frosting knife, palette knife, or dinner knife, frost the cupcakes.

6. Using a pastry brush, paint the edible flowers lightly with water. Sprinkle the flowers with superfine sugar to coat lightly. Let dry.

7. Place a sugared flower in the center of each cupcake and serve.

Makes 18 cupcakes

Adapted from Fairy Parties © 2010 by Colleen Mullaney. Photographs by Jack Deutsch. Reprinted with permission of Chronicle Books.

Click through our our Recipes for lots more cupcakes, like Hide-and-Seek Cupcakes.