While browsing through an old issue of Bon Appetit, I found this recipe and seeing that it has cayenne pepper in it, I just had to try it. This was originally a bundt cake complete with a caramel-chile glaze and cayenne-spiced nuts as topping. I thought it might lend itself to a cupcake. Well, the mini cakes came out muffinish along with the familiar hump so I’m going to call them muffins. Because they turned out not the way I expected, I did not make the glaze and the spiced nuts anymore. Thus the “firecracker” in my apple cake fizzled.
We ate the muffins plain and I must say that they are good as they are, moist and flavorful. The flavors balance each other so well, with just a slight tingle and sweetness. My nephew F._ who is such an apple lover and a picky cake eater gave them his two-tumbs up.
Slightly Spicy Apple Muffins – yield, about 15
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 c vegetable oil
3/4 c firmly packed golden brown sugar
1/4 c sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 c 1/3 inch-cubes cored peeled baking apple, from about one 8-ounce apple (I used Fiji)
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, ginger, and cayenne pepper in medium bowl.
3. Whisk vegetable oil, brown sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend.
4. Add dry ingredients; fold together just until blended. Fold in apple cubes.
5. Scoop batter into cupcake-lined pan.
6. Bake until toothpick inserted near center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
7. Savor while warm!
Enjoy!
January 22nd, 2009
Mango Overload Cupcake – soft cupcake bursting with the luscious flavor of ripe mango. With bits of chewy dried mangoes and frosted with cream whipped with fresh mango pulp and topped with petals made of dried mango. Price available upon request.
can’t get enough of those ripe mangoes
Did I say mango overload? Yep, this cupcake has that delicious fruit crawling all over it. It’s made with mango nectar, mango yogurt, pieces of dried mangoes. The frosting is slightly sweetened cream whipped with fresh mango pulp. I was aiming for a rosette of frosting but bits of mango pulp kept clogging my decorating tip ruining the swirled effect so I just smoothed the frosting into a dome which I think look better. The topper is a stylized flower made of what else but dried mangoes!
January 18th, 2009
In my book, Philippine mangoes are unrivaled. Fragrant, sweet and succulent, they are the closest thing to nirvana—when ripe, that is. I do not know if there’s any truth in this but according to this site, the Philippine mango was listed in the 1995 Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s sweetest mango. I could not agree more!
I found this cookie recipe that originally used fresh peaches. Being the mango devotee that I am and since fresh peaches are almost non-existent in the Philippines, I altered the recipe and made a few adjustments in the procedure. Boy, was I delighted with the scrumptious results! The buttery shortbread crust and crumb topping go so well with the moist, flavorful mangoes. Sorry peaches, but you are out!
The last time I made these (which was last New Year’s eve), I realized I left out the nuts and cinnamon in the crumb topping just as I slid the pan in the oven. I got the pan out again and just sprinkled the nuts-cinnamon combo on top. The bars baked just fine and still tasted heavenly.
Mango Crumb Bars – yield, 24 pieces
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 24 pieces
2 ripe mangoes, pitted and thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 c chopped walnuts (or other nuts you prefer)
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, then coat with butter.
3. Mix flour, white and dark brown sugars, baking powder, and salt. Scatter the butter over the flour mixture and mix until crumbly.
4. Dump 2 1/2 cups into the bottom of the prepared pan and press it evenly over the bottom. Arrange mango slices over the base.
5. Transfer the remaining 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and flour mixture to a small bowl. Mix in the cinnamon and walnuts with a fork. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the mangoes.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Then refrigerate for at least one (1) hour. Cut into 24 bars.
Enjoy!
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Philippine Mango Factoids:
1. Mango ranks third as the most important fruit in the Philippines in terms of volume of production and area after banana and pineapple.
2. The Philippines is the sixth largest exporter of fresh mangoes after Mexico, India, Brazil, Netherlands and Peru.
3. Pangasinan produces more mangoes than any other Philippine provinces but most mango exports come from the Guimaras Islands.
source: Dept. of Agriculture, Philippines
January 15th, 2009
