More Great Recipes: Cupcakes | Dessert


Acorn Squash Cupcakes with Currants, Salted Buttercream and Toasted Pecans


User Avatar
Member since 2006
Got a question about this recipe?
Use our BakeBot Ai Chat for instant answers.
No Video

Serves 20 | Prep Time | Cook Time

Why I Love This Recipe

I must confess, I detest acorn squash. It is the vilest of the squashes, if not the nefarious mastermind behind the fearful youth populous at large who, night after night, are assaulted by plates of the stuff. Of course, my opinions may be prejudice, but I have my reasons for hating many of the squashes out there.

But acorn squash, for some reason you have plagued me, haunted me, most of all.

I have tried you baked, pureed, fried, candied and every which way but up. Yet year after year, when I try to overcome my misconceptions and low opinions, My Judgment, you seem to come up awful all the same. I hate acorn squash.

This year though... this year we made a treaty of sorts. A white flag was raised, and a hush came over the kitchen. The guns went silent, only to be replaced by the roar of a mixer.

Apparently acorn squash and I can have a settling of arms when it comes to cake. When complimented by seasonal spices, fruity-tart black currants, and toasted, yet cloyingly bitter-sweet pecans, acorn squash can actually be quite charming. The buttercream actually uses salted butter, as that extra bit of salt gave a nice contrast to all the sweet. A perfect treat for fall!

Maybe it's time to overcome your fears, or if you already have a blissful relationship with the nubile winter gourd, dress it up a bit different this year before your cupcake night on the town with friends.

Visit my blog Visit Vanilla Garlic!


Ingredients You'll Need

3 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
pinch teaspoon of kosher salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of allspice
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
pinch of ginger
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup of vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups shredded fresh acorn squash
2/3 cup of black (or red) currant


Directions

Cut open a large acorn squash, take out the seeds and strings, then chop into pieces and grate the flesh. If you have a food processor, this will be much easier.


Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.


In another bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract.


Add the wet ingredients to the dry, about a fourth at a time, and stir to combine. The mixture will be very thick, slightly crumbly, and will possibly break your radius like a twig. Add the squash and the currants and mix to combine.


Scoop into cupcake papers, about 2/3 full.


Bake f0r 20-25 minutes at 350 F.


Let cool for a minute then place on a wire rack to cool further.


Frost when cooled.


Questions, Comments & Reviews


Out of curiosity, and out of forcing myself to eat things I normally don't, I had to give this a try as it just seemed so odd. I have to say, if this isn't one of the most awesome things I've ever made, I don't know what is. Par for the course, I was halfway through mixing the dough when I realized I was missing an ingredient, this time it was the currants. So I tossed in some raisins, but I definitely think a juicy berry would have been better. And I also added extra salt to the buttercream, just to see what would happen. I brought the cupcakes to work and they were gone in nanoseconds, and everyone was amazed that it was acorn squash. These are fantastic, well worth the labor to have such a unique treat!

'CHEF' the Film Cookbook: Recipes from El Jefe
By CHEF the Film

7 Recipes

11878 Downloads
FREE
The Official "Burnt" Movie Cookbook
By Burnt Movie Cookbook

7 Recipes

51222 Downloads
FREE
Disney's Tinker Bell Secret of the Wings Cookbook
By BakeSpace Fairies

6 Recipes

489 Downloads
FREE
Mixed Berry Tart
Mixed Berry Tart
Slutty Brownies
Slutty Brownies
Torta Cubana
Torta Cubana
Hi, I'm BakeBot.

Way beyond a chatbot, I can seamlessly interact with BakeSpace recipes and cookbooks, making modifications and answering cooking questions a breeze.

FYI, I’m new, still in beta and you are among the first to chat with me. If you notice a glitch, let us know.
Want to create a recipe? Try our BakeBot AI Recipe Maker!