The Baker's Daughter: Daffodil Cupcakes

Daffodil Cupcakes

It's winter in Canada, which can be amazing at times, but is usually pretty sucky. I saw these daffodils in the grocery store the other day and I had to buy them, if only to remind me that one day in the not to distant future, spring will come. Using fresh flowers on cakes is a such a great and easy way to brighten them up. If you're not using edible flowers be sure everyone eating them knows this to avoid emergency rooms and lawsuits. For this recipe I just used my standard vanilla cake recipe and topped the cupcakes with whip cream. If you're nervous about using raw egg whites to sugar the flowers you can use meringue powder which can be found at the Bulk Barn. Also if you don't have superfine sugar (like me), you can use regular white sugar and grind it a bit in a mortar and pestle or use a food processor.

Vanilla Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

pinch of salt

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard muffin tin.

Using a hand or stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on high for a couple of minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well in between each addition. Add the vanilla and mix. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to eliminate any lumps. Add the flour and milk in alternating additions. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix one last time.

Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on the top and when pressed lightly the cake springs back.

To decorate, top with freshly whipped cream and sugared flowers

Sugared Flowers

1 dozen flowers

1 egg white

superfine sugar

Directions

Snip the flowers off leaving a bit of stem.

In a small bowl add two teaspoons of water to one egg white. Using a small paintbrush, gently brush the egg white all over the flower. Dust the flower in the sugar and set aside to dry.