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Cupcakes Prepare the Vanilla Bean Cupcakes according to the recipe directions.

Frosting Prepare the Chocolate American Buttercream according to the recipe directions.

Donut Glaze In a mixing bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and cream together until the powdered sugar is totally dissolved. For a thicker glaze, add a little more powdered sugar; for a thinner glaze, add more cream.

Put It All Together Use your index finger to poke holes through the centers of the cupcakes, and fill the holes with jam, using a teaspoon. With a piping bag with a large round tip, make a swirl of buttercream on top of each cupcake. Freeze the cupcakes for about 15 minutes, then remove them from the freezer and dip them into the donut glaze. Garnish with sprinkles if you’d like.

FARM TO TABLE

BLACKBERRY LEMON

This cupcake is a summer favorite. I’ve paired it with a cream cheese frosting, but it also goes well with Italian or American buttercream with a little lemon oil mixed in.

Cupcakes

1 recipe Lemon Cupcake batter (page 23)

3 cups roughly chopped blackberries

Put It All Together

12 blackberries, for garnish

Frosting

1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (page 28)

4 tablespoons lemon zest

HOW TO MAKE IT

Cupcakes Prepare the Lemon Cupcake batter according to the recipe directions. Fold the blackberries into the batter. Bake the cupcakes according to the recipe directions.

Frosting Prepare the cream cheese frosting according to the recipe directions. Mix the lemon zest into the frosting with a rubber spatula.

Put It All Together Frost the cupcakes with a big dollops of the frosting. Top each cupcake with a whole blackberry. If you’re serving these right away, you can put some fresh lemon zest or even candied lemon peel on top as well.

NOTE: Depending on the season, if raspberries look better than blackberries, you can use them in this recipe instead.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Truth be told, I just love this one, but I’m really one of those fruity-dessert types of people. The fresh strawberries really make this cupcake shine. Wait to make these until you can find ripe strawberries at your local farmer’s market—it makes all the difference.

Cupcakes

1 recipe Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

3 cups halved fresh strawberries

Frosting

1 recipe Vanilla American Buttercream

(page 27)

1 vanilla bean, scraped

HOW TO MAKE IT

Cupcakes Prepare the Vanilla Bean Cupcake batter according to the recipe directions. Fold the strawberries into the batter. Bake the cupcakes according to the recipe directions.

Frosting Prepare the Vanilla American Buttercream according to the recipe directions, but while it’s mixing, toss in the scrapings from the vanilla bean.

Put It All Together Using a piping bag with a star tip, frost the cupcakes with the buttercream. Top each cupcake with a halved strawberry. If you’re making these ahead of time, put the strawberry with the cut side down; if you’re making them “to order,” they look beautiful with the strawberry face up.

COCONUT MANGO

I’m not fond of coconut, but I cannot deny my customers what they ask for. Tropical flavors are huge, and I think they give people a little sense of “vacation” during their regular routine. This cupcake was spawned from a wedding cake recipe and instantly became a hit. The addition of the mango curd helps to keep the cupcake moist even when it needs to sit overnight or for a day.

Cupcakes

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup coconut cream

6 egg whites (no little yolk bits), at room

temperature

Put It All Together

1 cup (½ recipe) Mango Curd (page 39)

fresh coconut, toasted and sliced,

for garnish

Frosting

1 cup (½ recipe) Mango Curd (page 39)

1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (page 28),

slightly chilled

HOW TO MAKE IT

Cupcakes Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy,