Here’s some celebratory (cup)cakes.  While there is lots to celebrate in life, right now I’m celebrating my fixed computer!  I had to send my poor laptop into the Mac doctors to be fixed.  Fortunately there’s a flat rate to send it to the warehouse for repairs and it came back with a new screen (which I knew was broken), and a new battery (which I didn’t know was leaking/swollen?!), so now it feels like a new machine!  It had been getting really hot on the bottom and the battery seemed to run out rather quickly, but I had just thought it was all the hot weather + being used for long periods of time.  But apparently I was underestimating my mac and it was in need of a new battery instead.

Other things to celebrate:  the safe arrival of a church member’s family from Uganda, seasonal fresh fruit, the Olympics, slightly cooler weather, this is my 101st post, etc.  So pick a reason and make some celebratory cake, because there is always a reason to be thankful and eat cake!

These cupcakes were a bit of a challenge to get the right peach flavor, but it turns out that they just need a day to meld and fully develop their fruity flavor.  You’ll need freeze dried peaches for this which can be found at Target (the Archer Farms brand).  Freeze dried peaches impart a lot of peach flavor without watering down the batter or frosting with a lot of fresh peach juice.  You’ll need two 1.75oz packages, one for the cupcakes and one for the frosting.

Peaches and Cream Cupcakes

Makes about 60 mini-cupcakes, or 24 regular size.

Adapted from Week Of Menus

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1.75 oz (49 grams) freeze dried peaches, pulverized in a mini-food processor
• 2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp powdered ginger (optional)
• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 large peach, pureed (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line muffin tins with liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ginger.  Set aside.

In a measuring cup, mix together the buttermilk, pureed peach, and vanilla extract.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Beat in the now powdered freeze dried peaches.

Mix the flour into the butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture.  Make sure to end with the flour and be careful not to overmix (I recommend switching to a spatula for the last combination).

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins.  Bake for about 10-12 minutes for mini-cupcakes, or 21-24 minutes for regular-cupcakes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Allow cupcakes to cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan, then place on a cooling rack until completely cooled and ready to frost.

Peaches and Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes enough to frost 60 mini-cupcakes or 24 regular cupcakes

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 12 oz (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese, room temperature (I used 1/3 less fat)
• 1.75 oz freeze dried peaches, pulverized in a mini-food processor
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 large peach, finely minced or pureed
• 2 1/2 -3 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 tsp powdered ginger

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until well blended and fluffy.  Add remaining ingredients and blend well.  Taste as you go and adjust the amount of sugar to your desired sweetness.