Books & Bites: Peach Cupcakes

ABOUT BOOKS & BITES: Once a month I meet up with college friends (and their friends) living in different cities for book club via video chat. And a female social event isn't complete without dessert, so Danielle, our Web master and Memphis hostess, usually bakes some bites for those that gather at her house.  Unfortunately, AIM has not yet figured out how to let us send food to one another. However, when we want it badly enough, those of us in other cities attempt to replicate cupcake master Danielle's recipe of choice.

TODAY'S BITE:  This light, summery cupcake recipe complemented our discussion of a quick, fun read about the spinster and other quirky characters in a small Virginia town (Big Stone Gap). The recipe looked far too good not to prepare. When I remembered I had a few peaches at home and my evening work duties ended early, it was clear that making a mini batch (1/3 recipe) was my destiny for the evening. 

Danielle made cream cheese frosting for cupcakes, and I made my old standby, buttercream, to which I added extra orange zest (maybe a little too much-- the taste was wonderful but overpowering on the cake). The Memphis crew was little critical of the "chunks" of fruit in cupcakes, but I chopped them small enough that it didn't bother me.

Peach Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup  butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon grated orange zest
3/4 cup  milk
2 peaches or nectarines, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until light and fluffly. Add vanilla and orange zest, beating well. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of milk, beating until smooth. Fold in peaches or nectarines.

Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated over for 23-28 minutes or until golden brown and tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack.