Waldorf Salad Cupcakes

When I told Jonathan that I was going to decorate a cupcake with grapes, he got a little scared.  You see, the last time that I decorated with grapes, I created grape man (just go look).  I assured him that this time, I'd keep it more normal and simply replace the iconic cherry on top with a grape.  Why grapes at all?  This is my cupcake version of Waldorf salad - a fruity salad created in the late 1800's at the Waldorf hotel in New York.

These Waldorf salad cupcakes have all the trappings of a Waldorf salad; there are no greens, of course, but the cupcakes contain apples, raisins, walnuts, lemon, and even mayonnaise.  If you are a mayonnaise hater, don’t worry - rather than making the cupcakes taste like a condiment, the mayonnaise simply adds moisture (after all, mayonnaise is made with eggs and oil – key cupcake ingredients).

The prominent flavor in these Waldorf salad cupcakes is tart lemon, making them taste as fresh and salady as a cupcake can.  If you close your eyes and try really hard, you might even convince yourself for a second that you are keeping that New Year's resolution to eat more salad.

For the Waldorf Salad cupcake recipe, head to Paula Deen's website.  I am a regular contributor to her site and this is my latest recipe there.

Do You Like the Idea of a Salad Cupcake?

I got the idea for a salad cupcake from The Baking Robot's Watergate Salad Cupcakes.  The Baking Robot has a ton of other fun and creative cupcakes worth checking out.  Have a look for more cupcake fun!