Persian Pear Cupcakes

This was an experimental cupcake inspired by Roopa of Raspberry Eggplant's Lavender Pear Bear cupcake. I had pears lying around, and I just discovered that the little middle eastern shop nearby sells big bottles of rosewater, and in researching recipes that use rosewater I discovered that a common accompanying spice in Persian food is cardamom. Cardamom may just be one of my favorite flavors of all time, so I just had to invent cupcake that used all these elements! It's a (Low fat) Pear and Cardamom cupcake with Rose Buttercream Frosting.

The cupcakes turned out a little more moist than is strictly necessary. I was worried they would be dry because I tried to cut fat by using pear puree instead of butter, but I kept a little butter in so they wouldn't be too rubbery, which is what happens to cake when you don't add fat. So it might be okay to further reduce to butter to 2 Tbsp. Also, I used margarine to further reduce the fat, and because it's cheaper. I had to run out the the store today to buy butter for the buttercream, because margarinecream just seems wrong. 

This recipe isn't vegan because of the butter and the milk, but the cornstarch and water bit is my way of substituting of eggs. There would have been three eggs in the cupcakes, so if you want to make them that way, go ahead. Additionally, if you substitute soy milk (or even water) for the milk and Earth Balance (vegan margarine) for the butter, the whole recipe could be vegan!!!

Anyway, here goes. Let me know what you think!

Persian Pear Cupcakes

Makes 13

Cupcake Ingredients:

1/2 c. pear puree (I just reduced a can of pears over the stove and mashed it up)

1/4 c. butter (could be reduced to 2 T)

2/3 c. sugar

3 T cornstarch dissolved in 6 T water

1 t vanilla (optional)

1/2 c. milk (I used skim)

1 1/2 c. flour (all purpose)

1 1/2 t ground cardamom (better if freshly ground)

1/2 t salt

2 t baking powder

3/4 c. small chopped fresh pear pieces

Cupcake Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).

In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, and pear puree. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and mix in thoroughly. Add vanilla if using. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients and then add alternating with the milk and stirring after each addition. Fold in chopped pear pieces.

Spoon batter into lined muffin baking tin. Fill each paper 3/4 full. If you want really tall domed cupcakes, fill them up a little higher, but the recipe will yield less. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Let them cool cool completely before frosting.

Rose Buttercream Frosting

1/2 c. real butter at room temperature

4 c. powdered sugar

1 or 2 T rosewater, to taste

up to 4 T milk

a little red food coloring

It's important for the butter to be room temperature, because otherwise it's impossible to stir!

Cream butter with wooden spoon until smooth. Add sugar one cup at a time up to two cups. Add rosewater, it will make the stirring easier. Add the rest of the sugar one half cup at a time alternating with milk as needed. Don't get excited and add too much milk, or your frosting will be too runny. Add the red food coloring to achieve the desired shade of rose.

Pipe or spread buttercream onto cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

Tip: the frosting is so strong (and delicious) in flavor that it can easily overpower the cupcake, so try to keep it thinly spread. Also, you may have a lot of leftover frosting. (I do!) I wasn't sure it'd be enough at first, but now I'm thinking I'll take the leftovers and roll it into little balls and put them in the freezer and then dip them in dark chocolate later when I have time. Mmmm....dark chocolate rose buttercreams!

I would post more pictures, but I can't get it to do what I want, so that's it for now!