It is so easy to forget that it is winter here in Australia when you gaze at the vibrant summery posts across the blog-o-sphere and certainly when you see lush red cherries and colourful berries on Instagram. Living in Sydney, we are fortunate to have access to every kind of fresh produce at any time of the year whether local or imported. Usually I won’t even look at imported produce and believe in eating fruits in season because they are not only fresher and cheaper but it also means supporting our wonderful farm community that I am a die hard fan of. There are however, two instances when I find myself deviating from this. Either when I am working for a publication on the other side of the globe and I am shooting summer in winter (speaking of which, I have some wonderful news to share soon) and when I spot CHERRIES! Sorry, can’t resist! No matter what!
I haven’t met my little brother and darling cousins who live in the USA and UK for years and I’ve kind of made a mental note to be there only during cherry season. Who doesn’t want to enjoy 2 cherry seasons in the same year? But that has to wait and this at least is easier. Buying it from from the supermarket! I couldn’t stop staring at them last week when I saw them. They were 5 times the regular price but no, there was no thinking twice when so many combinations were racing in my mind. Oh the possibilities!
I decided to make orange flavored cupcakes and add cherries to the batter. It was delicious. The best of winter and summer in a cupcake! I had some leftover vanilla frosting from a cake I made for a dear friend’s son’s birthday and I thought the colours would looking amazing together. To add extra tang to the cupcakes, I’ve used citrus peel that you could either make at home or use store bought. They are inexpensive and a great addition to your pantry if you like baking. You could add them to pretty much anything a get a nice little citrus boost in your baked goods. The birthday cake, I mentioned earlier (Chocolate Mud Cake with Pineapple Tim tams and vanilla frosting) was a huge success so I am sharing a photo of that as well at the end of the post.
Do you ever buy produce that is not in season? What is that one fruit or vegetable you would be ready to defy the seasons to bring home?
Orange Cupcakes With Cherries (partly adapted from Taste.com)
Makes 12
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
4 egg whites
1 cup castor sugar
300 g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-2 drops, food coloring of your choice (optional)(I used teal)
To make the cupcakes : Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (180 degrees C for fan forced ovens). Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cases.
Combine flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the center.
Add milk, butter, eggs, orange rind, vanilla and 1/2 cup of orange juice to flour mixture. Using a large metal spoon, stir gently to combine. Gently fold in 1/4 cup of the citrus peel and the chopped cherries.
Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
To make the Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream : Place the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water (over low heat), and whisk continuously, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the bottom of the bowl is warm to touch
Remove the bowl from the heat and whip on high speed until meringue holds stiff peaks and looks glossy. The bowl should have completely cooled by now.
Add the butter, 2 tablespoon at a time, until thick and fluffy. If it begins to look curdled, continue to whip until it comes back together, before adding in remaining butter.
When the buttercream has come together, add the vanilla extract and food coloring (if using) and mix till you get the desired shade.
To assemble: Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe a swirl of buttercream on the tops or could dollop it with an ice cream scoop. Decorate with fresh cherries and the leftover citrus peel.
Anita Rivera says
Oh Sonali,
First of all, I love keeping updated with your adventures! I can’t wait to hear about what you are up to!
Secondly, you DO WORK for publications! I thought so; your photos are some of the best out there and I still want to experiment with this “darker” landscape against which you beautifully photograph your colors. I still can’t figure out if you use a black backdrop and studio lighting, or if you are creating an “invisible black background!”
Fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables ARE my choice, and I stay away from peaches in the winter here. ONLY in the summer for me, since I grew up in California and know what a peach is supposed to taste like!
I have been eating so many cherries, it’s ridiculous! I CAN’T STOP EATING THEM!
Well my friend, you are a blessing to me. Your art is inspiring. Much love, Anita Rivera
Sugar et al says
I am floating like a balloon in the air after reading your sweet compliments. Thank you so much for being such an amazing friend to me. I do work for various publications but I don’t have access to all of them. With most of them, the work is done almost a year earlier and I have to wait to see it in print.
Oh MY!!! How incredibly gorgeous are these!!!!! I love your flavor and color choices. These look and sound like perfection!
Thanks a bunch Tori:-)
Mangoes. I like seasonal produce only. However I’d bend the rules for mangoes. The cupcakes look delicious. Don’t keep us waiting too long for the exciting news.
And when you visit me, there will be lot of cherries to pick from my Cherry tree!
Thanks so much Ratna! I can’t wait to visit you and your cherry tree:-) I won’t keep you waiting for the news, promise!
Love the surprising colors and flavors in the cupcakes…and that cake! Love that adorable cake. : ) And as much as I try to take advantage of seasonal produce, I’ll get whatever/whenever the craving hits. : )
These are gorgeous and I’m sure they taste perfect year-round 🙂 I’m actually just munching on some cherries now. They’re one of my favorite fruits! I have to say I’m jealous of your Sydney winters. Here in Canada winter is HARSH. Luckily we still have a few more months of nice weather.
Wow on these cupcakes, in flavor and the colors of blue and the cherries, amazing! So what is the news? I just met family in Austria I had not seen in 35 years, some ever!
Hi Sonali, These are gorgeous and i love the Teal colour frosting.
Both the cupcakes and the cake are stunners. I had the chance to see the cupcakes at first on Instagram. Right away I though, she should have named them ” happy cupcakes”. They are colorful, fun, and oh, make us smile large. I imagine how delicious they are as well! Love your creations, Sonali! xx
WoW! This looks amazing! Yum.
I’m so excited to try this! Going to try it at Christmas. Fascinating pictures of recipes. Lovely. Cheers….