Food, Lifestyle
by Elizabeth Benedict

Nectarine Cobbler Cupcakes

group of three baked and frosted nectarine cupcakes. Whipped, white and fluffy frosting a slice of fruit and oat crisp on top

All the flavor of a summertime favorite packed into one, okay twelve, delicious cupcakes!

When I think of June, I think of birthdays. Next to February, it is packed full of them in my family. The most important for me being my mom and sister. Instead of a cake this year my mom wanted a cobbler, but I wanted to do some experimenting and see how we could pack all the flavor of a peach cobbler into cupcake form. Since my local store had a crate of nectarines and my toddler prefers them over fuzzy peaches I took things a step further and made nectarine cobbler cupcakes.

Nectarines offer the sweet flavor of a peach, but are crisper and often more tart or sour. I paired these with a whipped cream cheese frosting, oat crisp, and cobbler fill. Together they worked to create an explosion of sweet, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth flavor any diehard cobbler fan would enjoy. This recipe could easily be adapted to any of your favorite cobbler recipes (berry, apply, or any other stone fruit). It can also be adapted to be gluten free, especially with a combination of oat and almond flour for the cake batter in place of cake flour.

Ingredients

A juicy, plump pile of fresh nectarines in a crate.

cake

  • 1 1/5 cups of cake flour (or all-purpose flour or any gluten free blend)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Cinnamon to taste
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 stick softened butter
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Whipped cream cheese frosting

  • Half pint (8oz) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 (8oz) package cream cheese
  • 4 tbsp powder sugar
  • dash of vanilla

nectarine compote fill

  • 3 ripe nectarines, cubed
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

oat crisp topping

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • Cinnamon to taste
Pile of ripe nectarines, one sliced open showing the soft, yellow center. Slices of nectarine to the side

recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon) into a small bowl and set to the side. Measure out sour cream and set to the side to be added in later.

Cream butter and sugar until mixed together. Add vanilla and eggs and beat together until fluffy.

Cupcake batter mixed in electric mixer with butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla combined to make a light a fluffy concoction
Creamed butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla mixture.

Once batter is mixed to the above consistency alternate adding dry ingredient mixture and sour cream until combined into a thick, yet airy concoction.

Light and airy batter after mixed with flour and sour cream.
Batter with all the ingredients mixed together.

Set the mixed batter to the side (and try not to sneak too many bites–it’s tempting especially when your toddler is encouraging it). Start heating up the nectarine compote. Add diced fruit, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to a saucepan and heat over a medium temperature. Once it reaches a simmer, lower the temperature to a low-medium heat and cook for 8 minutes or until soft.

Compote mixture towards the end of cooking.

Once compote is completed, set aside to cool. Scoop cake batter into cupcake tray filled with liners. Fill each one with about 3/4 batter (I overfilled mine, but for even sizes I recommend about 3/4 full). Spoon the nectarine compote filling into each cup and mix in slightly.

Cupcake tray, lined with 12 filled cups. Nectarine compote is peaking out and bursting with color and soon to be flavor.
Cupcake tray filled and ready to bake!

Bake cupcakes for 25-30 minutes or until a knife/fork/toothpick comes out clean. While the cupcakes are baking start on the frosting.

In a clean bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream with powder sugar and vanilla until a thick, peaked cream is formed.

  • Whipped cream in bowl.
  • Whipped cream on whisk.

Once whipped cream is made, add cubed (slightly soft) cream cheese to the mix to create the whipped cream cheese frosting. You can add more sugar if you want it sweeter, but personally I found this level to be really well-balanced.

Whipped cream cheese frosting ready to be piped onto cooled cupcakes.

Once cupcakes are baked, cool on a wire rack or cooling tray. Cool completely before frosting since they will melt the cream.

While the cupcakes cool, and your kitchen is filled with the delectable aroma of all smells cobbler, start your oat crisp topping. Combine oats, melted butter, brown sugar and butter. Lay flat on parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Top cooled cupcakes with frosting, oat crisp, and freshly sliced nectarine. Try not to eat them all in one go. It’s difficult. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Elizabeth Benedict is an Associate Broker and REALTOR® at ERA Sellers and Buyers Real Estate in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She holds a Masters in Literature from the University of New Mexico. When she is not helping her community buy and sell houses she is usually writing.