Happee Monkee

Last week, I rushed out of the door and straight into Borders’. I had been dreaming of a cookbook for weeks. Yes. you could say, it was love at first page. We were separated because a barbecue was beckoning. Anyhoo, to commemorate our unity, I decided to get some passionfruits so that our relationship will always be filled with – you’ve guessed it – passion.

Jane had just come out of surgery some weeks ago and we decided to meet up for a little catch up. She’s a sweet lady who owns her own farm and comes down to the city once in a while. I wanted to make her something nice and flex my cupcake muscles, so this couldn’t happen at a better time.

We went to a lovely cafe called Lawson Grove that serves fantastic coffee. They do make the A+ stuff there. And the boys… *whistles* very charming. I know it’s rude to bring your own cupcakes to a cafe, so the owner (I presume) and I did a barter trade. Just this once, of course. Don’t start doing that at your local cafe and quote me. He got a cupcake, and I got the best macaroon out of France. I like this trade.

What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Good chat, good coffee (chai for me), and a good trade.

Recipe by Julie Le Clerc

Passion Fruit Cupcake (makes 12)
—————————————————————–

• 75g butter, softened
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 small eggs
• 1/4 cup passionfruit pulp (2 fruits)
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbs self-raising flour

1. Heat oven to 180C. Grease or line 12 muffin pans with paper cases.
2. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Stir in passionfruit pulp, then fold in sifted flour.
4. Half fill paper cases with mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of one cake comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Passionfruit Cream Cheese Frosting
—————————————————————–

• 30g butter, softened
• 80g cream cheese, softened and cubed
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 2 passionfruits

1. Cream butter, cream cheese and icing sugar together. Don’t over beat the frosting.
2. Fold in pulp from one passion fruit. Mix well.

Swirl frosting on cupcakes. To decorate, squeeze some pulp on top.