When summer vacations are on everyone’s minds but you’re still in the office, what could be a better escape than heading to the park for a mid-week evening picnic with friends? Take advantage of long days and the cool and calm refuge of your favourite park, and you have the perfect setting for an aperitif picnic. Some light, easy dishes that travel well, chilled drinks, fresh fruit and some classy little cupcakes are all you need.
What about focaccia with a tuna, caper and mayonnaise filling or couscous salad with chickpeas and summer vegetables such as grilled eggplant and fresh ripe tomatoes – easy to throw together and easy to transport. The thinnest slices of prosciutto wrapped around grissini make for easy nibbling, especially if you have one hand busy with a glass of wine. Some nice juicy slices of cantaloupe go particularly well with the saltiness of the prosciutto.
A bowl of fresh summer stone fruits like apricots, nectarines and plums are a healthy and simple addition to the picnic, while plum, yoghurt and white chocolate cupcakes are an easy little treat.
Then all you need is a picnic table, a picnic blanket, a cooler full of cold drinks (perhaps a nice prosecco) and you have the perfect recipe for a chilled summer evening.
Plum, yogurt and white chocolate cupcakes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Makes about 18 cupcakes 1x
Description
A light and spongy cupcake featuring juicy plums and creamy white chocolate, perfect for taking on summer picnics.
Ingredients
- 10 1/2 oz (300 grams) of plums, stoned and chopped
- 2 medium-sized eggs
- 3 1/2 oz (100 grams) of butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 1/2 oz (100 grams) of plain yogurt
- 3 1/2 oz (100 grams) of white chocolate
- 5 1/4 oz (150 grams) of all-purpose flour
- 5 1/4 oz (150 grams) of sugar
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Stone and roughly chop the plums, leaving the skins on for flecks of color. Set aside.
- In a double boiler, melt the white chocolate, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in the yogurt and vanilla extract until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Gently fold in the melted white chocolate and chopped plums.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each liner about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- These cupcakes are perfect for a picnic as they travel well.
- You can substitute the plums with other stone fruits like apricots or nectarines.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- For a more decadent treat, drizzle with additional melted white chocolate before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 60
- Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 35
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this recipe melt the white chocolate before adding it to the batter?
Step 3 calls for melting the 100 g white chocolate in a double boiler and letting it cool slightly before incorporating it. Adding warm liquid chocolate distributes evenly through the batter; adding solid chocolate chips would create pockets and uneven sweetness throughout the cupcake.
Should I peel the plums before chopping them?
No — the instructions say to leave the skins on, specifically noting they add “flecks of color” to the finished cupcake. The skins soften during baking and become part of the texture.
Can I substitute other fruit if plums aren’t available?
The notes say apricots or nectarines work as direct substitutes. Both are stone fruits with a similar moisture content, so they bake at the same rate and won’t throw off the 350°F (180°C) / 25-minute bake time.
How long will these cupcakes keep, and do they travel well?
The notes say they store well in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and the article specifically calls them out as ideal for picnics because they travel well without losing their shape or texture.
Those cupcakes look positively angelic! Totally perfect for a picnic treat :) your photos are oh-so lovely and your recipe sounds scrummy :)
You make me feel like having a picnic: it’s such a long time since I enjoyed one!