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Buddha's Hand Citron Cupcakes

This cupcake is hiding a hidden flavor!

Last Monday, my son and I ventured to the grocery store in search of fruit that was new to us.  This is something that his teacher suggested as a part of Thanksgiving.  Five bucks later, we came away with one that I even I hadn't seen before.

The Buddha's Hand Citron.  A yellow citrus fruit that doesn't grow as a sphere but as a bunch of finger-like tentacles.  These fruits can either have their fingers closed as if they are praying or splayed open.  

We had to figure out what to do with it once we got it home and soon discovered that it has uses as a flavoring in salads and desserts.  When we cut into it, we also learned that it had the most amazing lemony fragrance.   

I have been challenging myself to find uses for it, because a fruit this beautiful (and pricey!) should not go to waste. 

Today's challenge was to see how they worked in a cupcake recipe.  




RECIPE: Buddha's Hand Citron Cupcakes

1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 oz lemon extract
4 eggs 
1/2 cup Buddha's Hand Citron, blanched and diced.  
  • Cream butter and sugar together.  
  • Add eggs one at a time, making certain to beat until smooth. 
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  
  • Combine flour with eggs, sugar and butter. 
  • Fold in lemon extract as well as the diced Buddha's Hand Citron. 
  • Divide batter into 12 cupcakes. 
 Bake in a 300 degree oven for 40 minutes. 

Note that this makes a stiffer batter so that the fruit does not fall to the bottom.  It makes a flavorful but not overly sweet cupcake.  

My son and I decorated them with white frosting, pomegranate seeds and a candied piece of Buddha's Hand.  The pomegranate seeds worked well with the lemon flavoring.  

The next challenge will be to see how the cupcake works as a muffin with a citrus glaze. 

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