Nectarine Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting
Aug 06, 2010
Today’s entry, titled “Nectarine Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting” (or as Eric called it “A plate full of Oooooh yeeeeaaaah”) is one that almost didn’t happen. How could that be you might ask, since we are right in the middle of nectarine season here in Silicon Valley. This is something we’d wanted to do for some time, ever since the first little buds started growing in on the nectarine tree in the backyard. Tree? Sorry, we mean shrub-that-will-be-a-tree-next-year. See, everyone thought it had died some time ago and was basically cut down to a stump. But after a little (a lot) of TLC from Charisse and her green thumb it flared back to life this year, with a vengeance. It blossomed in the spring, looking so pretty we both knew we were in for a treat come mid summer. Sure enough, all summer long we’ve been watching dozens upon dozens of nectarines grow, bit by bit. Each day we’d be out there and Charisse would point to one right in the middle and say “That one, that one is MINE. There are many like it, but that one is mine” Okay, so maybe she wasn’t quoting Full Metal Jacket over coffee at 8am on a Saturday but you get the point. That one was hers, and pity the fool who tried to take it. 
Just as the fruit was coming ripe Eric had some real estate related work to go over with Charisse’s dad Patrick so we invited them over for dinner and Charisse spent 2 days coming up with a good meal we could blog about. With the nectarines ready to go and a big dessert recipe in mind, we discovered that Koda the dog also liked nectarines. Eric of course learned about this through a text message at work that read something like “do you know any good recipes for dog?”. Yup, the dog had her fill and Charisse’s recipe was shot, but she had come across the idea of a doing a cupcake with what few nectarines remained, so dessert was saved. We were wondering why Koda wasn’t hungry for almost a day and a half and by now you’d think we’d have learned to be suspicious when she doesn’t finish her breakfast. Charisse found her nectarine, untouched by the carnage, and promptly ate it, in her PJs at 7am. She said it was the best one she’s had in years. Eric - When my wife talks about her tangerine, she has this look in her eyes where I think she imagines Koda helping herself to 95% of the years fruit while we sleep. I don’t dare question her claim that it was the best nectarine ever. I also firmly believe that Koda is not the subject of this post only because she spared “Charisse’s Nectarine”. Charisse of course is sticking firmly to her claim that the dog is “a member of this family whether you like it or not”.
Nectarine Cupcake
What You Will Need
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
pinch of nutmeg
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 nectarines (pitted and cubed)
Preheat oven to 350*
Line about 25 muffin tins and set aside
Combine all of the dry ingredients together and set aside
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and mix well. Slowly add in the buttermilk and next the dry ingredients. Once everything is mixed, fold in the cubed nectarines. Evenly distribute in your lined muffin tins and bake for about 20 minutes until set and knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely
Frost with Brown Sugar Frosting
Brown Sugar Frosting
What You Will Need
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup powered sugar
2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
Using your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until it is well combined and there are no lumps. Beat in the sugars and vanilla. Chill until ready to use
adapted from www.smittenkitchen.com
Tags: Brown Sugar Frosting, Cake, Cupcake, Nectarine, Nectarine Cupcake
mmm nectarines! I want it to be summer again. There's an orchard a couple of hours away from our home, you can go and pick as much as you like and the price is ridiculously reasonable. Ah! When will winter be over!? This recipe looks fantastic!
What a beautiful cupcake. I have made peach muffins, closest thing to a nectarine. I'll have to wait till next year, to make this recipe, because I live in the Midwest and snow.We have a Cock-a-poo, who goes bananas over bananas, apples, peaches, almost any kind of fruit. Do not give your dog grapes or raisins. they can cause kidney failure.
I want a nectarine in my backyard! What a fabulously beautiful way to celebrate summer's bounty!
Now I am really missing nectarines. These look scrumptious and I must try. I am missing stone fruits and this helps…
It's a shame that is not nectine time anymore… they look delicous. You've got 2 new followers! Giorgia & C
Nectarines seem perfect for little cupcakes! A must try.
Those cupcakes sound absolutely amazing! I just found your blog and absolutely love it! You have a new follower!xo
Mmmmmhh…mouth-watering!SoonSonia
Love the icing…
Beautiful cupcakes, sounds amazing. You have a Nectarine tree…wow that's fantastic.
I love fruit and cupcakes, wonderful use of your nectarines!
Nectarine cupcakes sound so good! Are they slightly tart yet sweet? And my dog likes watermelon. She will sit poised with straight back next to you with the occasional whine or paw swipe if you happen to be gnawing on some. Damn animals.
Yum! I love cupcake recipes that are different and not something you see everyday. I am so glad these came to be
I love putting fresh fruit in cupcakes! I made some earlier this summer with strawberries and lemon and they were divine… as the summer goes on I suppose peaches or nectarines are a logical choice! Beautiful!
The frosting alone is making me drool!!! Great recipe and photos.
I thought my cats ate some weird things, but even they won't touch nectarines.
These cupcakes look fabulous. I'm up to my eyeballs in peaches, but I've yet to find good nectarines… I'll be keeping these in mind as soon as I do, though.
My 9 month old has been "mashing" little bits of nectarine. I know some day he will love these cupcakes. What a great blog and wonderful pics. Thanks for sharing. Keep it coming… please and thank you!
Beautiful pictures! I'm sure these cupcakes tasted amazing!
What a unique and tasty cupcake – love the frosting!!! Have a wonderful weekend!
Nectarine cupcakes with brown sugar frosting…..creative and they sound wonderful. Nectarines are loved by everyone in my house, these would be a hit for sure.
I'd never thought of making cupcakes with nectarines, what a creative combination! Cupcakes aside, I can't get my eyes off from the succulent nectarines. Yum.
The frosting sounds so good! I want some!
These do look good! I love nectarines and they are good right now. Your photographs are beautiful, thanks for sharing:-)
Oh goodness… those cupcakes are taunting me! Must have one now!
I'm always impressed by people who can make cupcakes look pretty (which you can)… I do not have this talent.Great recipe and the pics are fantastic!
I would love to taste these! I love all tree fruits. And a dog liking nectarines! Koda has great taste (=
These look absolutely delicious! And the photos have just reminded me how much I miss summer – still a few months to go…. Great to hear the "special" nectarine was saved
We love nectarines, they are my husbands favorite. How lucky for you to have a tree or shrub in your yard
They look delicious, and so does the brown sugar frosting. Your puppy is so cute!
Delicious! And I'm sorry the dog ate some of the nectarines… that is SO something our dog would do too! Great job though
Beautiful cupcakes! A wonderful way to enjoy the nectarines
That frosting sounds unreal good!
What absolutely lovely looking cupcakes, everything about them sounds so delicious!
You have a nectarine tree? Wonderful, I need to get a few of those for our garden. We planted two plum trees in the spring, hope they fruit by next summer.The cupcakes look great also, and the icing is probably just a good with dipping some sliced fruit too!Bon appetit=:~)
delish! I love nectarines and what a wonderful way to incorporate them into a cupcake
lovely cupcakes looks healthy
Divine! Wow.. I think the frosting is my favorite part! love it! Megan
The title of this post alone drew me to read it. Nectarines are always popular in our house, and I'm certain putting them into cupcakes would make them even more popular!
I couldn't help but laugh when I read how much your dog likes her nectarines. The dogs I had when I was growing up only seemed interested in anything meaty or stodgy. Fruit would have been too healthy a concept for them. The idea of nectarine cupcakes is fab. Must try this at some point.
my wife loves peaches, but I always go for the nectarines….a good nectarine is a thing of beauty!! I never though about using them in cupcakes, but I can only imagine how delicious they were! And of course the dog is family, who else loves you unconditionally!!
I have never had nectarine cupcakes. These look delicious and so do the pictures. If you get a chance hop over to my blog as I am having a great giveaway. Have a nice weekend.http://sweetkatskitchen.blogspot.com/