I had the opportunity to speak to someone recently about the pleasure of blogging and as I explained, one of the greatest pleasures are the friendships.
Early on in my blogging career, I met Jasmine and consider myself blessed to know her.
In May, she contacted me asking if I’d do her a favour by baking some cupcakes for one of her coworkers. Naturally I said yes and the photo above is the result.
I love baking for people like Jasmine because she is adventurous, whimsical and trusting. When I asked her what sort of cupcake she was looking for her answer was, surprise me.
I love that. I love it because there are so many baking choices out there beyond chocolate and vanilla (not that there’s anything wrong with chocolate and vanilla, mind you). But I also love it because as a baker, it’s your time to shine and try new things.
So I went to the groaning, creaking bookshelf that holds all my cookbooks and flipped through a variety of books before I settled on a recipe for Rose Water and Raspberry Cupcakes. I’ve mentioned this a few times but rose water is THE ingredient of 2009 for me. I’m using it in everything and loving it.
These particular cupcakes were a pleasure for me. They’re what I would call a very “adult” cupcake. Not overtly sweet, the crumb of the cupcake is tender and subtle and the ganache adds just enough sweetness. The rose water and raspberry give the cupcake a very elegant edge.
The nice thing about this sort of baking work is that the pleasure is always all mine.
Ciao!
The recipe for these cupcakes is from the book Cupcakes: Luscious Bakeshop Favorites From Your Home Kitchen
29 comments
Cakelaw
These are beautiful Ivonne, and the flavours sound devine. I agree that friendships are the best part about blogging.
Sweet Kitchen
Great choice! These look amazing.
Irene
Oh, I know what you mean on so many levels! The baking for friends, the allowing yourself creativity to pick the flavors, the beautiful people one meets through food blogging… so so true! These are lovely and I am sure were enjoyed tremendously!
snooky doodle
i love it when i have to choose flavours
these cupcakes look so good and so nice.
Natashya
They are so pretty, like jewels. I like Jasmine too, she is lovely.
anna
Those are so elegant! Love them!
Rosa
Very pretty cupcakes! I love the way they look…
Cheers,
Rosa
Valérie
They look beautiful! And with all the summery fruit around, you’re quite right to bake with non-chocolatey flavours.
Simone (junglefrog)
They sure look delicious Ivonne! I’ve never tried rosewater (wouldn’t really know where to get it to be honest) but it sounds like it is worth trying!
peabody
Those turned out adorable.
Dino Romano
Ivonne,
Your site is one of the best food sites I’ve come across on the web. Extraordinary. Your choice of recipes and offerings are first rate. The recipe for Sicilian Cassata you chose was very authentic (I actually worked briefly at a Sicilian bakery in my home town of Messina, Sicily when I was a youngster). High quality material.
Dino
Nazca
If only you had a friend who’d send you cookies and maybe “demand” a blog story about them…
enza
I know you are confident with my language and here http://iodagrande.blogspot.com/2009/05/il-filo-dellamicizia-e-un-fallo.html is what I’m thinking about friendness at internet time…it will a pleasure if you’ll spend some of your time reading it. if you have sokme difficult please do not hesitate I’ll here to translate.
kisses and hugs
howtoeatacupcake
Isn’t it great how blogging about food can bring people together? Ahh I love it!
Mrs. L
Beautiful looking cupcakes. This is the third post I’ve come across today that has dragee’s (the little silver balls) and I get so frustrated that I can’t buy them here in California.
Paz
Absolutely gorgeous cupcakes. I wished I lived in Canada, so that you could make ME some cupcakes, too.
Paz
Claudia Haas
Beautiful, divine and a very winning way to appreciate friends. Lovely post – the photo…the cupcake…the friendship.
red tin heart
I love your site. I come here to dream..I want to try so many of the things you make. This week I am going to make some of these lucsious recipes.
Thank You, Nita
Arlene
I’ve used rosewater on my face, but never cooked with it. These are very elegant cakes (cupcake doesn’t sound mature enough for them) and, I’m sure, very delicious, too.
chocolate shavings
It seems that we were both in a cupcake making mood! Yours look deliciously elegant.
Larissa@Italian cooking recipes
I like your idea to bake something new and delicious for friends. These cupcakes are so cool. Congratulations with the great idea and the result. They look wonderful!
Kasha
You’re so crazy good in the kitchen! Am I ever going to have stuff as pretty as that!? I will keep practicing!
Kasha
http://grubandstuff.blogspot.com/
Maria
Beautiful as always. They look absolutely delicious and such a great break from the usual cupcake we’re all used to.
Andreas
Hmm,raspberry..
I like the let’s-browse-some-cookbooks-and see-what-we come-up-with approach.
joey
The friendships are indeed one of the things I love about blogging! These cupcake look so pretty and imagine the taste is fantastic…i wish we could get fresh raspberries here!
MyKitchenInHalfCups
Friends are the glory of living well.
… so are these cupcakes
Jenny
Pretty and very Jasmine like I think. They seem to suit her.
Lori
These look lovely and since I just bought a bottle of rose water, I would have to say they may be in my future.
janice wilson
Wanting a good cupcake receipe so the I can make my greatgrandson his first birthday cake. The mother wants it made out od individual cupcakes ? These in the article look delicious