Peaches and Cream Cupcakes

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Okay guys, first off, I need to mention… I have an odd number of photos. Yes, there are 11 photos. For some reason I hate odd numbers. I think it is because I prefer symmetry instead of asymmetrical things. Sigh! Two… wait for the rest of this post because seriously. I’m still shaking my head! Finally, happy September. Now that it’s September, can I put my Christmas tree up yet?!?! You think I’m kidding? I’m really not…. Sadly…

Truth… Prior to a couple years ago, I’d never used farm fresh eggs. Yes, I grew up on a farm. No, we didn’t raise chickens. No one I knew raised chickens. We used store bought eggs. And truthfully… farm fresh eggs kind of freaked me out. I don’t know why? I can’t explain it. It is/was just a weird quirk with me. I say was because….. Those eggs above, are farm fresh. Yes, y’all I’ve been using Farm Fresh eggs. Truth number 2 right here… I hardly ever say y’all when speaking, but I will type it. Another thing I can’t explain.

Another truth… Hardly EVER do I buy buttermilk. I made some once and used it for buttermilk something or other… I can’t remember what now. Maybe I’ll go hunting… Usually I just make my own buttermilk for recipes… also known as sour milk. But for these cupcakes, I actually bought buttermilk. I ran across this post one day about buttermilk. Quite the interesting read.

Part of my birthday present. I had been using cheapo white cupcake tins but really wanted something fun. Abug chose these. We bought them at a kitchen store in Branson on my Birthday weekend.

I have a new plan to try and grow some peach trees. Wish me luck. Not sure it will happen. I keep getting these crazy ideas and my husband probably shakes his head but amuses me none-the-less. Hey, we even tried to raise chickens once. My dogs killed every last one. It was a sad, bird massacre. I refuse to try that again. And what the dogs didn’t get, the darn snake did. I hate snakes.

Everything is better with butter, am I right? This butter was used to cook those peaches. WHAT!?!? Yup, add sugar and butter and yum! I could have just eaten the peaches….

So the cupcakes themselves. I was surprised that being Peaches and Cream cupcakes that they didn’t incorporate any of those flavors in the cupcake. It was just a really good buttermilk vanilla cupcake. Now… look at this picture below. Do you see all that stuff on my muffin tin? I’m not sure what caused that. I kind of laughed. But then……

I started pulling the cupcakes out of the muffin tin and the ones that exploded, had no center. WHAT!?!?!? No kidding. No idea what caused that either. Holy cow! I had cupcakes missing a middle. Like nothing. I had people asking me what I put in the middle, kind of like the bread with the marshmallows. Oh no, there was absolutely nothing put in the middle. I guess that would have made it easy to fill the centers…..

The icing was just a good buttercream icing. Nothing special like peaches or cream flavor in the buttercream. I was still scratching my head wondering how we were going to taste Peaches and Cream flavored cupcakes….

But guys, these didn’t disappoint. Not at all. They tasted like Peaches and Cream Cupcakes. Holy wow and Holy Yum! I still have no explanation about the insides of those cupcakes. I took this challenge upon myself just so I could learn how to make cupcakes because I really do suck making cupcakes… Well, I learned you can blow the insides out somehow and not know how. Whatever. I’m still laughing about this.

(Food Network Magazine, January/February 2017, Vol 10 number 1, Page 65)

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
2/3 cup buttermilk

For the peaches:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small ripe peaches, each cut into 6 wedges
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

For the frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Directions

Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in half of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture until smooth.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds of the way. Bake until the tops of the cupcakes are lightly browned and spring back when gently pressed, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, cook the peaches: Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the peaches and granulated sugar; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the peaches start softening, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are soft but still hold their shape, about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

Make the frosting: Beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until fluffy, 2 to 3 more minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip; pipe onto the cupcakes. Refrigerate until the frosting is firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Top each cupcake with a peach wedge.