- Cupcakes:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar plus
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup low-fat milk
- 1 fresh California peach, pitted and diced
- Frosting:
- 1 fresh California peach, divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Tiny mint leaves for garnish (optional)
- To prepare cupcakes, preheat oven to 300 degrees F and line 36 mini muffin tins with paper wrappers; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat for 2 minutes more or until fluffy. Add eggs and extracts, beating well after each addition. Stir in half the dry ingredients, then half the milk; repeat and mix until well combined. Stir in diced peaches and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins (they will be very full). Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in tins for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- To prepare frosting, peel and mash or puree half the peach. Beat butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in 1 1/2 tablespoons peach puree and extract, beating for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, adding more peach puree if a thinner consistency is desired. Spread equal amounts over each cupcake. Dice remaining peach half and sprinkle over cupcakes. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.