Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Club: Zucchini-Spice Cupcakes

My apologies to the Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Club for the late posting of this month's cupcake selection. I have been called to work this week which meant 14-16 hour work days, reporting at 8AM and not coming home until midnight. I finally got to baking these cupcakes after a short work day (8-hour day).

Got home at 5 o'clock in the afternoon and started baking. I took these pictures before sunset; the cupcakes were still warm so I didn't put frosting on them for the photos. The cupcakes were good with or without frosting. I omitted the nuts, though since I know my kids wouldn't like them.

I had to buy some zucchinis at Trader Joe's for the recipe since my plants got too tired to produce anymore zuchinis. My zucchini plants produced plenty early in the season, now it would produce buds then die out :( I picked out the buds for the photos, my husband cooked them the next day. I didn't get to taste them since I was back at work. I brought over a few of these cupcakes to work and my Brazilian guests loved them!

Thank you to fellow MSC member Tracey of Tracey's Culinary Adventures for this great selection this month. The recipe can be found on page 44 of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book. Thanks to Sugar Betty for starting this wonderful group, check out the new website to see how the other members' cupcake creations.

MSC: Chocolate Salted-Caramel Mini Cupcakes

Welcome to the first posting for a new baking group: Martha Stewart Cupcake Club (MSC). Our group will be baking one recipe a month from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. Big thanks to Betty of Eat My Cupcake for organizing this group. Like her, I've had the book since it was released in June and can never find the time to try the recipes. I am finding I am a better blogger when there are deadlines. :)


We are off to a great start with these cupcakes. Don't let the pictures fool you for they are indeed minis. The picture in the book looked like standard-sized ones to me and I was almost tempted to go that route since I only had one mini baking tray. My husband had a great idea of buying a few more trays so we were off to Sur La Table--who could say no to a little shopping? Like I said, I am off to great start joining this group. ;)


These mini cupcakes came out really chocolatey-dark due to the Dutch-process cocoa (I used Guittard Cocoa Rouge). The centers were scooped out and filled with Salted Caramel and sprinkled with a little bit more fleur de sel before being topped with Dark Chocolate Frosting. My frosting didn't come out dark as I'd like just like in the book (I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips)but was really tasty and so shiny. I will make this frosting again maybe using a better-quality chocolate or using more cocoa powder in it.


Overall, these were great but not very appealing to kids. At least mine, anyways. The salt threw them off and they are not caramel eaters. My husband loves caramel so he loved these. I like them as well since I'm a salty & sweet combo fan. They're treats for grown-ups, I suppose.

The recipe states it makes 56 minis. Mine yielded 4 dozen then the rest of the batter was used to fill 6 mini tartlet pans (2-inch disposable ones), simply frosted per my kids' request. The rest were packaged and given away to my sister, sister-in-law and cousin yesterday as a "Happy Friday" treat.

The recipe can be found on page 148 of the book, please check it out. The rest of the baking group can be found on Betty's blog or by clicking on the logo on my sidebar, please check out their creations. I'm off to do the same.