Wild Rice Blueberry Cupcakes

[CWS4322]

This is Minnesota inspired:

1 c wild rice

(3 cups water, when it is boiling, add 1 c wild rice that you have rinsed in hot water), add 1 stick cinnamon and 1/2 T vanilla flavored instant coffee, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Cook for about 55 minutes).

Measure 1 c cooked wild rice, set aside

Blend:

2 c AP flour
1/2 c wild rice flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 tsp cinnamon (if you wish)

Combine the above in the FP or mixer until crumbly.

Meanwhile, mix 4 FRESH eggs with 1/2 c buttermilk and 1/2 c milk, 1/2 c vanilla yogurt, and about 1/4 c maple syrup.
Blend the liquid mixture into the flour mixture. Fold in 1 c wild rice. Add 3/4 blueberries to which 2 T flour has been added to coat the blueberries (I add more cinnamon at this point)

Fold in the blueberries. Divide the dough evenly between 12 muffin cups. I use paper liners, but you could grease the tin. Bake at 325 for about 20 minutes. Cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting, garnish with blueberry and mint leaves. (I added maple syrup to the cream cheese frosting and I'm using basil leaves because my mint plant is pathetic).

 

[purple.alien.giraffe]

This sounds really interesting. Can I substitute vanilla for the vanilla coffee or just leave out the coffee.

 

[CWS4322]

I'd say yes--the vanilla-coffee was just because I have a jar of it in the cupboard (don't know why--I don't drink coffee) and I wanted to infuse flavor in the wild rice. The DH's opinion was that the cupcakes were like a spice cake re: density. He did eat 5 of them--so I guess he liked them. The recipe makes about 22. I wish I had added more cinnamon, perhaps some star anise, and nutmeg to the batter. They were very good and if I could find the cable for my camera, I could upload a pic...let me work on that.

 

[CWS4322]

PAG--I was trying to create a cupcake that was like the wild rice blueberry pancakes I'd eat in MN. I can tweak this recipe some, but overall, the cupcakes were tasty (not to mention "pretty").

 

[CWS4322]

Oh--I don't used cultivated wild rice--hate it--it doesn't pop--the dark brown stuff. I use native (or as we call it, real wild rice) (lighter brown) and longer grains.

 

[purple.alien.giraffe]

Cool, I'll have to try this one when I have my own kitchen again.

 

[CWS4322]

Chatted with a friend who is a professional chef--shared the recipe--she suggested separating the eggs and folding in the whites to make the texture more "airy". I have enough cooked wild rice to make another batch.