Ingredient: baking soda

Root Vegetable Apricot Cake

We’re entering the in between… that time when some days are super nice and the sun is shining and if you don’t look at the date on the calendar, you’d swear it’s the middle of July, and some days you need a jacket and it’s gloomy and you can feel the season changing in the air?

The time when the flowers are still blooming and the leaves are starting to change. Fall food is popping up in the stores and it’s more than just pumpkin spice everything.

So why not make a ‘root vegetable cake’? I know, you’re thinking you don’t really want anything called root vegetable cake. But keep an open mind because it’s just a cake with carrots, parsnips and some beets. They’re all shredded and combined with warm spices to make a hearty cake, dotted with dried apricots and pepita seeds. The spice and earthiness of the cake are complemented by the rich sweetness and subtle tang of the ginger cream cheese frosting.  Altogether, it’s pretty much the perfect bite – while the root veggies keep this cake soft and add a subtly sweet, earthy flavor; the apricots and pepita seeds add texture. Then it’s topped off with the luxurious creaminess of the ginger frosting. What’s not to love!

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 Root Vegetable Apricot Cake
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Course dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword root vegetable apricot cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
Course dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword root vegetable apricot cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
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Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease the base & sides of a 8-inch round cake pan with a little oil. Line the base with parchment paper.
  2. Peel & grate the carrots, beets & parsnips into a large bowl. Zest an orange & add to the vegetables.
  3. Pour in the syrup, eggs & olive oil, then mix to combine. Next, fold in the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
  4. Finely dice the apricots, then add them to the bowl along with the seeds, then mix everything until just combined but DO NOT OVERMIX.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan & bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the tin after 20 minutes, until the top is a light pink-golden tone. The cake should bounce back when pressed lightly, & a skewer inserted into the center will come out clean when fully cooked. Remove from the oven & leave to cool in the pan.
Ginger Frosting
  1. Place room temperature cream cheese, ginger & butter into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer. beat until creamy & smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated.
Assembly
  1. When the cake is completely cool, transfer to a plate, then finish with the icing, smoothing it over the sides & top of the cake. Decorate as you wish slice & serve.
Recipe Notes

If you are like me, maple syrup is not something I usually have on hand. Here's a good substitute ... 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup water & 1/4 tsp maple extract. Place the sugar & water in a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved & mixture thickens slightly, 3-5 minutes. Stir in maple extract (adjust to taste). Allow to cool before using (mixture thickens as it cools).

Apricot Chai Liqueur Scones

I’ve probably posted at least twenty different kinds of scones on the blog over the years, but I had yet to make scones using chai ‘liqueur’.

There are many recipes using chai spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and anise. I wanted to incorporate the actual liqueur in these scones as well to pop up the flavor a bit more.

And while most fruits pair well with chai, some may have a delicate flavor that won’t taste great with the various spices in chai. When selecting these fruits, always go for dried options such as raisins, prunes, dates, apricots, figs, and peaches.

These scones make an excellent choice for breakfast or as an afternoon snack this time of year.

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 Apricot Chai Liqueur Scones
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Course Brunch
Cuisine Asia
Keyword apricot chai liqueur scones
Servings
SCONES
Ingredients
Scones
Chai Cream Cheese Icing
Course Brunch
Cuisine Asia
Keyword apricot chai liqueur scones
Servings
SCONES
Ingredients
Scones
Chai Cream Cheese Icing
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Instructions
Scones
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a food processor, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place in a large bowl.
  3. In a small bowl combine egg, chai liqueur & sour cream. Add wet mixture to flour mixture along with the apricots. Stir ONLY until combined. Do NOT overmix.
  4. Divide dough in half. Using a spatula scrape each piece of dough onto the parchment paper on the baking sheet. Dip the spatula in flour, then flatten each piece of dough to about 1-inch in height as well as forming it in a circle shape. Cut each round into 8 wedges.
  5. Bake scones for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet. Recut the scones. Cool slightly on wire rack.
Icing
  1. Using a mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, chai liqueur & milk. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until light & fluffy. Pipe over scones.
Recipe Notes

The amount of sugar used in these scones is what you prefer personally. I only used the 1/3 cup which makes them nice to serve with coffee.

Beet Quick Bread

While we are all familiar with carrot cake, there are a variety of other vegetables that are suitable for baking. Beets, zucchini, parsnips, pumpkin and sweet potato can deliver a sweet flavor, while helping keep cakes moist.

On the surface, vegetables and cakes seem like strange bedfellows. However, the two can complement each other, as evidenced by carrot cake and zucchini bread.

Cake inherently isn’t good for anyone. Adding vegetables makes it slightly healthier, but in the end, it’s still cake. I guess you could say, baked goods with veggies are a better-for-you alternative, but not the next superfood. That being said, it’s still not going to deter me from making some beet ‘bread’ today.

The history of using beets in baking dates back to wartime rationing and has evolved into a beloved treat. During World War II, when sugar was rationed and resources were limited, inventive home bakers began using beets as a natural sweetener and a means to add moisture to their cakes. Beets were widely available and proved to be a valuable ingredient in dessert recipes. Over the years, this wartime innovation has evolved into a popular and nutritious cake variation.

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 Beet Quick Bread
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Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword beet quick bread
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Wrap the beets loosely in foil, place on a baking sheet & bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from the oven, set aside to cool then discard the skin (it should peel off easily). Puree the beetroot with the pear & apple juice. You can do this step in advance.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9 1/2" loaf pan, line with parchment paper & set aside.
  4. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, lemon zest & salt. Stir thoroughly using a whisk. Set aside.
  5. Beat together the eggs, sugar & oil for about 2 minutes until fluffy. Pour in the beet mixture & stir well to combine.
  6. Add the seeds/nuts of choice & the flour mixture. Stir just to combine (stop stirring when the dry ingredients have disappeared). The batter will be lumpy.
  7. Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth out the top with the back of a spoon & bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour & 5 minutes (or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean).
  8. Remove from the oven & leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift the bread out of the pan with the parchment paper & place on a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing (store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge).
  9. Serve on its own as a snack, for breakfast or brunch, with butter or cream cheese. Although the top is so pink & it looks like its been iced, this is just the way it comes out of the oven. It's so interesting that the outside stays the red color of the beets but the inside is a brown color.
Recipe Notes

You can bake the beets in advance. Once cooled, refrigerate them (overnight) until you are ready to use.
You can freeze the entire loaf in a freezer bag or freeze individual slices (separated with pieces of parchment in an airtight container) to enjoy later.

Black Sesame Seed Cookies

Black sesame seed cookies are enjoyed for their unique combination of nutty, earthy flavor and visually appealing dark color. They offer a different flavor profile than white sesame cookies, with a richer, more pronounced taste that can be balanced with sweetness. Additionally, the black sesame seeds contribute to a subtle crunch and visual appeal.

Black sesame seeds are a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine used in sweet and savory dishes. In traditional Chinese and Japanese cooking, these seeds are often ground into a paste and used as a filling for pastries and dumplings. They are also sprinkled on rice dishes, noodles, and vegetables for flavor and crunch.

Black sesame seeds hold significant positive symbolism in many cultures, particularly in Asian traditions and Hinduism. They are often associated with longevity, good health, prosperity, and spiritual purity. 

The ‘Open Sesame’ phrase that originated from the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves from One Thousand and One Nights, where the words ‘open sesame’ were used to open a cave containing treasure. The phrase refers to the sesame seed pods feature of splitting open to reveal its contents, symbolizing the unlocking of treasures and knowledge.

Today, I had originally started out to bake some quick little flaxseed cookies but when I realized I was out of flaxseed but had some black sesame seeds on hand, they became one of those ‘the same only different’ type cookies. Brion & I were pleasantly surprised at how nice they tasted.

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 Black Sesame Seed Cookies
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Course dessert
Cuisine Asia
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Course dessert
Cuisine Asia
Keyword black sesame seed cookies
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In bowl, beat together butter with brown & white sugars until light; beat in egg & vanilla.
  3. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, oats, black sesame seeds & baking soda; stir into butter mixture until soft dough forms.
  4. Drop by level tablespoonfuls, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on ungreased rimless baking sheets. Bake in top & bottom thirds of oven, rotating & switching pans halfway through, until golden, about 8 minutes. Let cool on pan on rack for 2 minutes.
  5. Transfer cookies to rack; let cool.

Ube Butterfly Cupcakes

I have always loved butterflies… their vibrant colors, graceful flight, and symbolic representation of transformation. Their beauty lies in their intricate wing patterns, which serve purposes like camouflage, mimicry, and mate recognition. The complete life cycle, from caterpillar to butterfly, is also considered a remarkable transformation. The magnificent yet short life of butterflies serves to remind us that life is short and to make the most of each day we have.

I wanted to create a spring/summer inspired treat, so what better way than making some ‘butterfly’ cupcakes. When I was thinking of a filling that would correlate with all the beautiful colors of the butterflies, ube came to mind.

Ube (pronounced OO-bay), is a purple yam native to the Philippines and other areas of Southeast Asia. Ube is a very versatile ingredient. It is not a purple sweet potato or taro, it is a purple yam. Many folks describe ube’s flavor as a mix between vanilla and pistachio. It has a wonderfully earthy and almost nutty flavor and the vibrant purple color inside and out is uniquely photogenic.

Ube has been used for decades in Filipino cuisine and has now caught on in North America, especially in the form of desserts.

The symbolic seasonal butterfly always seems to work its way into my kitchen each year, so this is my creation for this season!

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 Ube Butterfly Cupcakes
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Course dessert
Cuisine Filipino
Keyword ube butterfly cupcakes
Servings
Ingredients
Ube Cream Cheese Filling
Streusel Topping
Cupcakes
Course dessert
Cuisine Filipino
Keyword ube butterfly cupcakes
Servings
Ingredients
Ube Cream Cheese Filling
Streusel Topping
Cupcakes
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Instructions
Ube Filling
  1. In a bowl, cream butter & cream cheese. Add powdered sugar, ube haleya & coloring. Combine until smooth. Set aside.
Streusel
  1. In a bowl, combine streusel ingredients. Using your finger tips work streusel until crumbles form. Set aside.
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. On a baking sheet place 7 paper cupcake cups.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Set aside.
  3. With an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth & creamy (about 1 minute), then add sugar & cream together. Add eggs, ube extract & sour cream. Mix just enough to combine then fold in flour mixture.
  4. Spoon batter into cupcake cups, filling them about 1/2 full of cupcake batter.
  5. Drop about a Tbsp (or more) into the center of each cupcake, then cover with a thin layer of batter. The cups should be about 3/4 full. Generously top with streusel crumbs. Gently press the crumbs to help them stick to the batter.
  6. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the cupcake has set & the crumbs get a slight golden color.
  7. Remove from oven & allow to cool.
Recipe Notes

Ube Halaya (Jam) BEST TO MAKE A DAY AHEAD OF USING
 454 gm frozen, grated ube Can be purchased in Filipino grocery stores.
 400 ml coconut milk
 300 ml sweetened condensed milk
 110 gm (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

In a medium, heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add coconut & condensed milks; stir until heated. Add thawed, grated ube & combine well. Cook over a low heat. It is important to stir the mixture often during cooking to prevent it from forming a 'crust'. This process takes about 40-50 minutes until the ube is cooked. The mixture should be thick & sticky. Transfer the ube jam to a container & set aside. If you are making this amount, keep in mind you only need 1/2 cup for this recipe but there are plenty of recipes on my site to help use it up.

Chocolate Beet Bundt Cakes w/ Saskatoon Berry Sauce

Pairing beets with chocolate might seem unusual at first glance, but it works beautifully in a cake. It gives an extra bit of complexity to something that’s already amazing. The beets add earthiness and make the cake dense and moist.

This idea is particularly associated with wartime rationing, when sugar and flour were scarce. While historically a frugal option, chocolate beet cake has become more of a novelty or trend in recent years, with modern bakers experimenting with the flavor profile and incorporating it into more elaborate recipes. 

It’s impossible to pinpoint exactly who ‘first’ paired saskatoons with beet cake, as such recipes are often developed over time and evolve through various culinary traditions.

Saskatoon berries, or serviceberries, are a staple ingredient in Canadian baking, particularly in pies, cakes, and jams. They are known for their sweet and nutty flavor. Given the historical context, it’s likely that the pairing of saskatoon berries with chocolate beet cake emerged organically in regions where both ingredients were readily available and used in baking. Bakers in these areas may have naturally incorporated saskatoon berries into their beet cake recipes, either as a topping, filling, or as part of the batter. 

These little Bundt cakes with their saskatoon berry topping make a very special summertime dessert when those precious berries arrive.

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 Chocolate Beet Bundt Cakes w/ Saskatoon Berry Sauce
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Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword chocolate beet bundt cakes w/ saskatoon berry sauce
Servings
Ingredients
Beet Puree
Cake
Saskatoon Berry Sauce
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword chocolate beet bundt cakes w/ saskatoon berry sauce
Servings
Ingredients
Beet Puree
Cake
Saskatoon Berry Sauce
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Instructions
Beet Puree
  1. Remove beet stems & peel. Rinse beets & chop into small cubes. Place beets in a small saucepan & add water. Cook for about 10 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from heat & allow to cool. Once cool, puree beets with a small amount of the cooking water in a blender or food processor.
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In a large bowl, place first 6 liquid ingredients & combine well. Add remaining ingredients & mix well.
  3. Scoop into 8 mini Bundt pans (or large cupcake pan), filling about 3/4 full. You can butter the pans or use silicon cups.
  4. For mini Bundt cakes bake only about 9 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick.
  5. Remove from oven & allow to cool slightly.
Saskatoon Berry Sauce
  1. In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar & salt. Add water & saskatoons. Stir while cooking until 'clear' & bubbling. Add margarine & lemon juice, stir then remove from heat.
Serving
  1. Place individual little Bundt cakes on dessert plates. Top with whipped topping & saskatoon berry sauce. Serve.

Blackberry Cookies

Blackberries, with their juicy and sweet-tart flavor, have a fascinating history that spans thousands of years. The history of blackberries is a tapestry woven with ancient uses, cultural symbolism, and artistic inspiration. These delectable berries have captivated people across different cultures and have been cherished for their taste and medicinal properties. From their medicinal properties in traditional medicine to their role in folklore and literature, blackberries have left an indelible mark on human history.

Blackberries have held symbolic meaning in various cultures throughout history. In some European folklore, blackberries were associated with protection against evil spirits and were often used in rituals and ceremonies. They were also believed to bring good fortune and prosperity to those who consumed them.

In Celtic mythology, blackberries were associated with the changing seasons. It was believed that the blackberries gained their rich color when the fairies and spirits of the ‘otherworld’ would bless them during the summer months. Eating blackberries after a certain date, often referred to as ‘Old Michaelmas Day, also called Devil Spits Day’, was considered bad luck, as it was believed that the devil had claimed them according to old British folklore.

Their journey across continents and their ability to adapt to different environments speak to their resilience and popularity.

Brion & I became aware of these wonderful berries several years ago. Now, every chance I get I try to incorporate them into something I’m making whether its sweet or savory. Today they are front and center in these cookies adding loads of flavor.

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 Blackberry Cookies
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blackberry cookies
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Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the old-fashioned rolled oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon & salt. Set dry mixture aside.
  3. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, sugars until the mixture is light & fluffy.
  4. Add egg & vanilla to the wet mixture & beat until well combined.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a cookie dough forms.
  6. Scoop cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space between each cookie.
  7. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb or the back of a spoon. Fill each indentation with 3-4 blackberries. If they are large cut them in half.
  8. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
  9. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fruit Explosion Muffins

The Tim Hortons Fruit Explosion Muffin is a super tasty treat that combines the goodness of a moist vanilla cake muffin with bursts of fruity flavor. While the exact creation date isn’t widely documented, these muffins have become a beloved staple at Tim Hortons.  Founded in 1964, Tim Hortons is an iconic Canadian restaurant known for its quality coffee, freshly baked goods, great fast-food and hockey roots. Great tasting coffee (the ‘double double’) is at the core of their identity.

If you’re a fan of Tim Hortons’ Fruit Explosion Muffins, you’ll love these homemade versions. Another reason to try a copycat version is the calorie count. From what I understand, the Tim Hortons version comes in at 360 calories per muffin whereas this recipe trims it down to a ‘healthy’ 166 calories for the medium size and 331 for large ones.

The combination of sweet and tart flavors from the fruit creates a wonderful balance with the natural sweetness of the berries complementing the muffin base. Sour cream is a secret ingredient that makes these muffins extra moist. They’re soft, cakey, tender and in the center, have a little fruity surprise of blueberry jam.            

The options for making this treat are endless—swap out the berries or try different fruit fillings. Whether for breakfast or a snack, these muffins are a burst of fruity goodness!  Another bonus is that these muffins freeze beautifully, making them convenient for busy mornings.

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 Fruit Explosion Muffin
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Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Keyword fruit explosion muffins
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Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Keyword fruit explosion muffins
Servings
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 3 muffin pans with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, oil, applesauce, eggs & vanilla with a whisk. Stir in sugars until combined completely. Add flours, baking powder, baking soda, & salt. Stir just until combined then fold in berries.
  3. Spoon 1 Tbsp of batter into the bottom of each liner, spreading it cover the bottom completely. Top with 2 tsp of jam & cover with remaining batter (about one heaping tablespoon per muffin cup), covering the jam as best as you can.
  4. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until golden brown, toothpick comes out clean & batter around berries appears set. Cool to room temperature & serve.
  5. May be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
Recipe Notes

• This amount of batter will make 18 regular size muffins or 9 large.

Raspberry Crumble Cookies

Raspberry Crumble Cookies are no ordinary treat. Half tart, half cookie, they offer a perfect balance between a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a crumbly, cookie-like crust. Made with a homemade tangy raspberry compote, these cookies are a delectable balance of sweet and tart flavors with a burst of fruity goodness in every bite.  

I have wondered where this crumb (or crumble) cake/cookie idea came from. Its origins speak of its German heritage. The origin of crumb cake was called ‘streuselkuchen,’ and today’s modern crumb cake is fairly similar to its forebear. Streuselkuchen ‘crumb cake’ is often referring to a cake made of a sweet yeast dough covered with a crumb topping that is called ‘streusel.’ Today, we make crumble cakes with baking soda or baking powder for leavening. One thing that has not changed is the signature thick layer of crumb topping where the crumbs are made simply of sugar, butter, and flour and allowed to have a roughly unfinished look. The crumb topping is sprinkled with powdered sugar to add interest to the look of the uneven top.

What we know today as crumb or crumble cake/cookies is most likely the adaptation of coffee cake recipes by German bakers who came to North America. The cake does bear a passing resemblance to many of the streusel topped kuchen recipes, a popular coffee-friendly cake from Germany.

Raspberry Crumble Cookies are baked in a muffin tin and look like mini pies! The dough does double duty as the base of the butter cookies and the crumble topping.

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 Raspberry Crumble Cookies
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword raspberry crumble cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Raspberry Compote
Cookies
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword raspberry crumble cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Raspberry Compote
Cookies
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Instructions
Raspberry Compote
  1. Place rasp[berries, sugar, lemon juice, zest & vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat & simmer for 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat & pour through a sieve. Press through sieve with a spatula to take out as many of the seeds as possible. Set aside.
Cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 24 mini tart or mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In food processor, place flour, sugar & butter. Pulse a few times until mixture is crumbly; set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture. To remainder add baking powder, baking soda & nuts. Place mixture in a large bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, beat egg slightly then stir in sour cream & lemon zest. Add to dry ingredients; stir until just moistened.
  4. Divide batter between the 24 mini tins. With the back of a small scoop that has been dipped in flour, press batter to go over the bottom & up the sides. Spoon about 1 tsp raspberry compote in the indented area of the cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with some of the reserved crumb mixture.
  5. Bake 15-18 minutes or until done. Remove from oven & allow to cool in pans for at least 10 minutes. At this time the cookies should pop out easily. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Artichoke Cupcakes

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

St. Patrick’s Day is a funny thing here in Canada. It’s the one time each year that people seek out green food and drinks, everything from shamrock shakes, a green bagel, or green beer are part of our version of this holiday.

Green food has been getting more and more ‘creative’ on this particular holiday. Clean eating, green foods like spinach, avocado and broccoli for example. A walk through the grocery store produce section will provide a variety of examples of just how many green foods are available to use in meals and snacks.

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to incorporate some green food in some desserts. What better excuse could I have to make some artichoke cupcakes!

Over the years, Brion and I have vacationed many times in the Carmel / Monterey area on the Central Coast of California. As a rule, we make Pacific Grove ‘home base’ and from there do numerous day trips. About a 20-minute drive inland from Monterey Bay is the tiny agricultural town of Castroville. When you enter into the town you will see a sign that says, ‘Artichoke Center of the World’.  Where the rich, fertile soil of the Salinas Valley meets the sands of Monterey Bay, these fog-shrouded fields prove to be the ideal location for the commercial cultivation of Heirloom artichokes.

About another 20-minute drive further north you come to another agricultural town called Watsonville. Just before we reached the town, I spotted a sign advertising ‘artichoke cupcakes’ from Pezzini Farms. We have never eaten anything sweet associated with artichokes before now. This charming roadside market goes deep into the crop that made this chunk of California famous.

Now, Watsonville might not be the self-proclaimed Artichoke Center of the World like its neighbor, Castroville. But it still ranks right up there in growing this distinctive plant that’s actually an herb.

Pezzini Farms is family-owned and has been growing and selling Heirloom Green Globe artichokes since 1929. The family immigrated to the United States from Italy bringing with them their family’s artichoke root stalk. 

The market offers a great selection of fresh produce that includes artichokes sold individually or in bulk. The store also has a wide selection of artichoke products that featured jarred artichoke hearts, artichoke dip mix, and artichoke marinara sauce, among others. By the register, customers were enticed by an array of sweet pastries displayed under glass dessert domes. Among them were decadent artichoke cupcakes topped with thick frosting.

It inspired me to think of artichokes in a whole new way. Brion & I purchased a cupcake to see how it would taste. The dense cake wasn’t overly sweet, with chunks of artichoke heart adding an almost earthy quality. The frosting was velvety with a little cream cheese bounce. A good comparison would be like a zucchini bread or a carrot cake.

Of course, as soon as we came home, I couldn’t wait to try to recreate this interesting little cupcake and what a better time than today. Think artichoke green for St. Patrick’s day!

I’ve added a few pictures I hope you will enjoy.

  • Pezzini store pics x 2
  • Artichokes growing in the fields
  • Production line
  • Store cupcakes
  • Life-size signage
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 Artichoke Cupcakes
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Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword artichoke cupcakes
Servings
LARGE CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
Cream Cheese Frosting
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword artichoke cupcakes
Servings
LARGE CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
Cream Cheese Frosting
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Instructions
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 6-cup muffin pan with large paper liners (or 12 small paper liners).
  2. Drain artichoke hearts well & mince into very small uniform pieces. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, water & oil.
  4. In another bowl, sift together flour, white & brown sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom & ginger.
  5. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients, then gently fold in the minced artichokes with a spatula until they are completely incorporated into the batter.
  6. Fill the prepared muffin tins with the batter & bake about 30 minutes for the large size (20-25 minutes for small size).
  7. Once the cupcakes are baked through, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
  1. With an electric mixer, beat butter & cream cheese until creamy & well combined & lump free.
  2. Add vanilla & salt, mix to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until completely combined.
  3. Frost cupcakes as desired.