There’s no need to perfect your piping skills to create beautiful flower-topped cupcakes. Instead, adorn them with a few fresh, edible flowers. Some of the best-tasting varieties include nasturtiums, pansies, hibiscus, snapdragons, violets, and marigolds (pictured). Use only flowers grown without pesticides, either from your own organic garden or from specialty suppliers. When making the little pound cakes, remember to cream the butter and sugar thoroughly to produce the right texture.

　　

Ingredients

makes 36

　　3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

　　2 teaspoons salt

　　1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

　　2 cups sugar

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　9 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

　　Swiss Meringue Buttercream (vanilla-bean variation, page 305)

　　Fresh edible flowers, such as marigolds, violets, pansies, or nasturtiums (see Sources, page 342)

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour and salt.

　　

Step 2

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to medium, and beat in vanilla. Add beaten eggs in four batches, beating until each is incorporated. With mixer on low speed, add flour in four batches; beat until completely incorporated after each.

　　

Step 3

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Tap tins on countertop once to distribute batter evenly. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

　　

Step 4

To finish, use an offset spatula to spread cupcakes with a generous layer of buttercream, and top each with a few flowers. Serve immediately.

　　Martha Stewart's Cupcakes