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April 2013
 Spring Cleaning
Bare patches of ground are peeking through on the sunny side of slopes around the neighborhood. Temperatures are slowly creeping upward—during the day anyway. Maple sugar season is in full swing. These signs of spring make me want to hurry it along by throwing windows open to air the winter stuffiness out of the house, put away the winter layers, and go through the lighter summer clothes. It's the energy burst after March cabin fever—and it tends to come too early. Those warm layers need to hang around for at least another month. The crocuses won't pop through the last inch of snow for another couple of weeks and the other flowers won't dare come out until after the courageous crocuses do.
I'm supposed to be working on my final project for the nine-month Certificate in Positive Psychology I'm taking via the Kripalu Center. I've completed the manuscript and the PowerPoint presentation. All that's left is the poster—and my artistic creativity feels a little overwhelmed at how to present months worth of research in a simple form. Instead, I've been attacking piles in the kitchen.
While going through the pile of recipes I've accumulated over the past (mumble) years, I discarded many that I'll never get around to making. But the mix of flavors in this one intrigued me, so I made it. Lisa Bishop of the National Honey Board developed it, and I cut it out of The Telegraph seven years ago.
Lime Macadamia Nut Cupcakes
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon zest and ¼ cup juice from limes
¾ cup canned coconut milk
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup honey
2 large eggs
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup macadamia nuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a liquid measure, combine lime zest and juice, and coconut milk; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Add honey; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time.
Add half of the reserved dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix on low until just combined. With mixer running on low, slowly add the lime mixture. Add remaining dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in coconut and macadamia nuts. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 18-22 minutes. Remove to a wire rack; cool.
Frost with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting, if desired.
Makes 12-16 cupcakes.
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
½ cup cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
4-5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
In a mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add lime juice and honey; mix well. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, until desired spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes and top with coconut.
Wishing you a happy spring.
Till next time, keep reading!
Sylvie
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