Zucchini Cupcakes

Zucchini and cupcakes are two words that don't seem like they should go together. But I love zucchini bread. When my sister Melanee was little, my dad used to make it, and she called it "bikini bread." Melanee, as a small child, was probably one of the most unintentionally funny people I have ever known. She will probably hate that I said that.

Anyway, as I go through the Martha cookbook, I have earmarked certain recipes for certain things. There are the recipes that are crowd pleasers, which I take to things like Mix 'n Munch or when I teach Relief Society. There are the bland recipes, that I try to reserve for when I need to make something kids will like. The funky ones I tend to bring to the people I work with because they have refined palates. There are some that I have earmarked for certain people, like carrot cupcakes, lemon meringue cupcakes, and German chocolate cupcakes. There are some that I consider seasonal, if they remind me of a holiday, or if they call for an ingredient like fresh berries that have a specific growing season.

This recipe is both a seasonal recipe, and one that I had earmarked for someone particular. Zucchini, in general, always reminds me of fall. One fall, as a missionary, I was in area that had been particularly blessed with an abundance of zucchini. We tracted into a woman who had a huge bumper crop, and she sent us home with two bags full, along with some recipes. I made zucchini brownies that year, which were wonderful.

Also, my friend Kim recently finished her dissertation and is now clear to defend it at the end of the month. She loves zucchini bread, and this recipe coincided perfectly with a celebration of the end of her career as a student.

Finally, I had to give the oral presentation of my theory of therapy paper last week, and baking this recipe seemed like a good way to thank the people who endured my presentation.

Has anyone else become disturbed by the slow entropy of these posts? The pictures have gotten progressively spottier to the point where-I am ashamed to say-I don't even have any pictures of the zucchini cupcakes. Bad.

Zucchini Cupcakes

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (No, I did not use freshly grated nutmeg. I used the vaguely Mexican nutmeg I bought at Wal-Mart.)

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 c. vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (still using the imitation stuff)

3/4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

2 c. packed light brown sugar

3 c. packed grated zucchini (my zucchini was little, and it took me three to make three cups. However, after learning my lesson from the carrot cupcakes, I used my food processor to shred them, which was wonderful)

1 c. walnuts, toasted (you can do this by putting them on a baking sheet and baking them in the oven on 350 for 10 minutes)

Preheat the oven to 350 and line your muffin cups. Whisk together dry ingredients, including spices. In another bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, vanilla, and zest until well blended. Whisk in brown sugar until smooth. Stir in zucchini, and then add flour mixture until just combined. Stir in walnuts.

Fill cups 3/4 full (I use an ice cream scoop with a sliding trigger). Bake about 20 minutes, rotating tins halfway through.

Here is a link to the cream cheese frosting I used, which was wonderful.

As it turns out, not everyone loves zucchini, which is a shame. However, Kim gave them a great review, which was enough for me.

If you only make one zucchini recipe this fall, make it this one.