Hibiscus and Spicebush Friendship Cupcakes
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One thing I have loved about my many years as a forager is the incredible community to be found amongst other wild food lovers. I’ve met several of my closest friends through online spaces dedicated to foraging, which have bloomed into in-person real-life friendships! Even those who live far from me sometimes travel to visit, and we share bits of our local magic with each other through the mail.
Last summer, my friend Gabrielle Cerberville (Also known on TikTok as Chaotic Forager) came out to Idaho for huckleberry season. Our alpine huckles are truly something special, and it was fun to share the experience with a Midwestern friend who had never tried them before! Hands (and butts) stained bright purple, we laughed all the way back down the trail.
As summer moved into fall, Gabrielle gathered a bunch of spicebush berries (Lindera benzoin) and tucked them in an envelope accompanied by a card that just said “These are the smell of friendship to me!” When I opened that envelope and was engulfed by their peppery, warm spicy scent, I smiled. They were totally right. Friendship spice.
Late winter feels like such a perfect time to celebrate love - all kinds of love. It’s a time of cozy togetherness right before the wild proliferation of spring, a time to solidify bonds before adventuring out into a green new world! For the many animals bent on romance, it’s time to start nests and begin courting, charming mates before the frenzy of wild reproduction. It makes complete sense to me that our culture would have a holiday about love right now - even if many see it as just another excuse to buy a card. I would love to invite you to move beyond that with me, and see this as a time to show gratitude for the loves in your life that kept you company through the darkest days of winter, and to build that foundation of love for the adventures to come! You don’t have to celebrate any particular way or on any particular date. You can invent your own traditions or rituals! You can even consider what love or friendship smell/taste like to you and why, then create something delicious from there.
For me, I’m thinking of purple hands and tart summer berries, warm pepper and allspice and something celebratory. The bag of dried hibiscus flowers from an adventure with another good friend is calling to me, and I know that the way to my romantic partner’s heart is with cherries…
Spicebush Hibiscus Cupcakes:
These bright, tart cupcakes are a delightful punch of color amidst the dim late winter landscape. They get their flavor and beautiful vibrancy from dried hibiscus flowers, which can be found in Hispanic import markets or purchased online (but check your local grocery or herbal stores first!) Their fruity flavor is a natural pairing for a hefty dose of spicebush, which has hints of allspice, black pepper, and other warming spices. A surprise cherry filling and light rum-spiked buttercream is all you need to make a bite worth remembering (and sharing!) But if you’re like me and want to go the extra mile, get your hands on some candied hibiscus blossoms (often sold in high-end gourmet shops); they look absolutely gorgeous gracing the top of these treats. Makes 12 cupcakes.
Ingredients:
1 c. buttermilk
⅔ c. dried hibiscus flowers
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
½ c. milk
½ c. softened butter
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 c. flour
½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Dried and powdered spicebush berries
2 tsp. Baking powder
Directions:
Heat oven to 325F. Line 1 muffin tray with papers (or grease it well.)
In a small saucepan, combine the buttermilk, hibiscus flowers, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring to a slight simmer, then remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes, making sure the hibiscus flowers are covered in liquid. Puree in a high-speed blender with the milk and set aside.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and lighter in color. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, spicebush, and baking powder. Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Add half of the hibiscus mixture and blend until just combined. Repeat with ⅓ of the dry mixture, then the rest of the hibiscus mixture, and then the final dry ingredients.
Scoop the batter evenly into the 12 cupcake liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Fill with cherry pie filling and top with a candied hibiscus flower
Rum and Hibiscus Buttercream:
This recipe makes a little more than you’ll need for these cupcakes, but trust me, you’ll want to make the full batch. It keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks and is delicious on other cookies and cakes as well!
Ingredients:
3 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbs. powdered hibiscus
1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature (not softened)
8 oz mascarpone, at room temperature
¼ tsp. Fine salt
2 Tbs. rosehip-infused dark rum
Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, sifted powdered sugar, and powdered hibiscus. Use the paddle attachment on the lowest setting to mix until completely smooth. Add the mascarpone and continue beating on low until smooth.
Turn the speed up to medium and beat for another 3-5 minutes to make a light, fluffy frosting.
Add the salt and dark rum and beat on medium until well combined.
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Join me for a little winter night magic as we bake this cake full of rich seasonal flavors and black cocoa!