Easter Recipes: Almond Cupcakes with Rosewater and Fresh Blossoms

As Easter Sunday approaches and families scramble to round out dinner menus, Patch will share recipes from local chefs.

Chef Matt Finarelli is sharing a recipe—and this time it’s a dessert. (On Thursday, Finarelli shared a recipe for Bordeaux-Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans.)

Bringing seasonal garnish together with sweets, Finarelli has a recipe for Prosecco Almond Cupcakes with Rosewater and Fresh Blossoms. The recipe makes 32 cupcakes.

Finarelli has been a chef since 2006, and since then, he has authored a cookbook, “Beyond the Red Sauce.” He operates his own personal chef business with clients in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, and also teaches cooking classes.

Here’s Finarelli’s recipe for a sweet finish to dinner.

Ingredients:

4 cups cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 sticks unsalted butter – softened

3 cups sugar

8 eggs

6 Tbsp milk

¼ cup Prosecco

2 tsp vanilla

⅓ cup slivered almonds – well chopped

1 recipe Rosewater Frosting

As needed: Edible blossoms (e.g. pansies, marigolds, small roses, cone flowers, herb flowers, lilac, lavender – all pesticide free and well washed.)

Method:

-       Preheat oven to 350° F, line cupcake pan with papers.

-       Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

-       Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

-       Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

-       With mixer on low speed beat in milk, Prosecco and vanilla until just combined.

-       Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating until just combined after each addition.

-       Fold in almonds gently.

-       Bake until toothpick comes out clean – about 20 minutes.  Cool and top with Rosewater Frosting and then edible blossoms.

Rosewater Frosting

Ingredients:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1¾ cups powdered sugar

1 tsp  fresh lemon juice

5 tsp rosewater

Method:

-       Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.

-       Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated.

-       Add lemon juice and rosewater and beat until smooth.