It's (almost) Thanksgiving!

I don’t usually do this … but I’m hungry and the blog needed a post and darn, but doesn’t this just look absolutely scrumptious?

So, even though it’s too hot to turn on the oven and it’s far too early to be talking Thanksgiving and turkeys … here is just the most interesting little treat I’ve seen in quite a long time. 

Now … if we can only get some cooler weather so I can turn on the oven!

A Thanksgiving Cupcake

Everyone expects to see cranberry sauce and turkey at the Thanksgiving meal, but won’t they be surprised to find it back on the table for dessert?  Before you balk at the idea of turkey in a dessert, consider other savory and sweet combinations that work: honey-glazed ham, duck with cherry sauce, and bacon with just about anything.

These cupcakes are baked directly in slices of turkey – no cupcake liners are needed!  When baked, the turkey slices get hard and chewy and become a perfect shell for the small cakes.  The cupcakes themselves are loaded with cranberries and they are topped with a decadent maple buttercream frosting.  For extra maple flavor and an elegant look, the cupcakes may be dusted with maple sugar. 

Turkey Cranberry Cupcakes
Makes about 18 cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 
2/3 cup sugar 
2 large eggs 
2/3 cup plain yogurt 
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cranberry sauce
1 cup dried cranberries
18 thinly sliced pieces of turkey

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. 2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl. 
3. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
4. Beat eggs, yogurt, and vanilla into the butter/sugar mixture until blended. 
5. Mix in cranberry sauce.
6. Fold in flour mixture until just combined.
7. Fold in dried cranberries
8. Place a slice of turkey in each well of the cupcake tin. Often, turkey slices will have small holes in them; make sure that any holes in the slices are not at the bottom or sides of the cupcake tin.
9. Spoon batter into the turkey, as shown in the photo.
10. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you put this recipe into a normal cupcake liner sans turkey, it will bake in about 30 minutes.

Maple Buttercream Frosting
Note: Depending on how fat a swirl you want on your cupcakes, you may need to double the recipe.

Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
¼ cup maple syrup

Steps:
1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Mix in maple syrup

Posted by the wonderful Paula Deen on her wonderfully accessible foodie site, PaulaDeen.com

Stefani Pollack is the author of the popular cupcake blog, Cupcake Project. While she loves simple chocolate cupcakes, Stefani prefers creative cupcakes inspired by her favorite flavor combinations. She encourages her readers to branch out and experiment in the kitchen.Visit Stefani at her delish blog at The Cupcake Project.