hot eats cool treats

sarah and i made a surprise dinner the other night.

moroccan carrot soup for an appetizer.

followed by eggplant/roasted red pepper and tomato salad and yogurt cucumber sauce with homemade pita chips

and finally zucchini ginger cupcakes with orange ginger cream cheese frosting.

i'm ready for cupcake wars. bring it on.

all food photography by dad.

Zucchini Ginger Cupcakes

For cupcakes

• 1/3 cup crystallized ginger (1 3/4 oz), coarsely chopped
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (2 medium)
• 3/4 cup mild olive oil
• 3/4 cup mild honey
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
• Special equipment: a muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) cups; 12 paper liners
• 
  

Bake cupcakes:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with liners.

Pulse crystallized ginger in food processor until finely ground, then add flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, zest, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and pulse until combined.

Whisk together zucchini, oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl, then stir in flour mixture until just combined.

Divide batter among muffin cups and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely, 1 hour.

Make frosting:
Beat together frosting ingredients with an electric mixer at high speed until combined well and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Frost tops of cooled cupcakes.

Recipe from Epicurious