Arizona cupcakes
Cupcakes are small sponge cakes. In their original American version, they are usually decorated with brightly coloured icing. Here's a version inspired by the famous saguaro cactus, so common in Arizona.
1 hour 50 min.
Easy
50 cupcakes
10 IngredientsLast modified on: October 13th 2010
For 50 cupcakes, you will need:
- 1
200 g butter - 2
60 g caster sugar - 3
20 g vanilla sugar - 4
200 g flour - 5
4 eggs - 6
2 pinches salt - 7
10 g baking powder - 8
200 g marzipan (almond paste) - 9
2 tablespoons icing sugar - 10
300 g fondant icing - Total weight: 1,220 grams
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 1 hour 15 min.
Cooking: 35 min.
All in all: 1 hour 50 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 3 min.
Cut 200 g butter into small pieces and tip into the bowl of the mixer, along with 60 g caster sugar and 20 g vanilla sugar.
Stage 2 - 5 min.
Knead for a few minutes on slow speed until thoroughly mixed.
Stage 3 - 3 min.
Stage 4 - 5 min.
Knead again on medium speed just until evenly mixed.
Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F).
Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F).
Stage 5 - 10 min.
Divide the mixture between small moulds, preferably in paper cake cases. Do not over fill as the cakes will expand during cooking.
You can divide out the mixture with a spoon, but it's much quicker and easier to use a forcing bag.
You can divide out the mixture with a spoon, but it's much quicker and easier to use a forcing bag.
Stage 6 - 35 min.
Put in the oven and bake for around 35 minutes (watch for colouring).
Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Stage 7 - 15 min.
Meanwhile, make the cacti using green marzipan.
Stage 8 - 10 min.
Melt 300 g fondant icing in a bain-marie.
Note: if you don't have fondant icing, make up a quick glacé icing using 100g icing sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon water, or just a little more.
Note: if you don't have fondant icing, make up a quick glacé icing using 100g icing sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon water, or just a little more.
Stage 9 - 2 min.
Spread icing over the cupcakes...
Stage 10 - 1 min.
... and place a cactus on top immediately.
Stage 11 - 20 min.
Decorate all the cupcakes like this.
Remarks
You can start with the basic cupcake mix and let your imagination run wild!
A quick variation: replace the marzipan decorations with pistachio paste, which gives a more realistic saguaro cactus colour.
For that real Arizona touch, the sun should make an appearance on the cupcakes, maybe as a small circle of yellow marzipan at the top to left or right of the cactus? Oh, well - for next time.
A quick variation: replace the marzipan decorations with pistachio paste, which gives a more realistic saguaro cactus colour.
For that real Arizona touch, the sun should make an appearance on the cupcakes, maybe as a small circle of yellow marzipan at the top to left or right of the cactus? Oh, well - for next time.
Keeping: Several days in a closed metal box.
Source: Home-made, but warmly dedicated to Krissy, Kelley and Heather, three charming friends from Phoenix, of whom I cherish fond memories.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 100 RDI=40 % | 990 RDI=90 % | 360 RDI=50 % | 5,090 RDI=250 % | 21,300 RDI: 250 % |
| Per 100 g | 8 RDI=3 % | 80 RDI=8 % | 30 RDI=4 % | 420 RDI=20 % | 1,750 RDI: 20 % |
| Per cupcakes | 2 RDI=1 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 7 RDI=1 % | 100 RDI=5 % | 430 RDI: 5 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 50 cupcakes : 6.65 €
- Per cupcakes : 0.15 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Fondant icing
Like these other recipes: Fondant-iced pithivier, Chinois, Chocolate eclairs, ... See them all 3
Flour
Like these other recipes: Little chocolate and hazelnut fondants, Gâteau Basque , Chilli potato wedges, Flaky brownie brioche, Fougasse with bacon and Comté, ... See them all 200
Marzipan (almond paste)
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Piped petits-fours, Provençal colombier for Pentecost, Fraisier (French strawberry cake), Agen prune cake, Little Christmas biscuits, ... See them all 6
Butter
Like these other recipes: Rosemary steamed fish, Surprise bread, Mushroom buckwheat pancakes, Almond mug cake for Mary, Butter cream, ... See them all 463
Other recipes you may also like
Lobster Thermidor
In this recipe, the lobster are cooked first in a court bouillon (stock), then the flesh is removed and cut into small pieces before being cooked with the cream and alcohol. The dish is browned in the oven to finish.January 22th 2012159 K 14.7 35 min.
Saint Honoré cake
The Saint Honoré cake is a famous example of French patisserie. It consists of a puff pastry base surrounded by a ring of caramel-coated choux puffs and topped with whipped cream (Chantilly). It is a bit tricky to make, but this recipe gives you all the hints you need.April 14th 2013124 K4.7 2 hours 55 min.
Chocolate and vanilla crème brûlée
This crème brûlée recipe is a sophisticated combination in three layers: chocolate ganache, vanilla custard, and, of course, a delicious thin crust of caramel. It is more complicated than a simple chocolate crème brûlée, but well worth the effort when you see your guests' reactions.December 30th 201961 K5 1 hour 60 min.
Baked leek and Camembert slices
In this recipe slices of bread are topped with creamed leeks and slivers of Camembert before browning in the oven.March 6th 202054 K4.8 25 min.
Puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée)
Puff pastry is an incredible assembly of thin layers of butter enclosed in thin layers of dough. After cooking this give a succession of thin crisp pastry leaves that produce exceptional desserts or pies. It's a jewel of French patisserie. Making your own puff pastry is not very difficult, it's just...January 19th 2011452 K 63.3 2 hours 45 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-04-20)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 1 comment already posted on this recipe