Cocoa Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Whipped Cream and Homemade White Chocolate Toppers

These yellow cupcakes look like vanilla cupcakes, and with all the vanilla cupcakes that I've been making lately, it's surprising that they aren't. Because they are made with cocoa butter instead of regular butter, they have a light, chocolaty flavor.  If you weren't told about their secret (as many of my tasters weren't), you'd suspect there was more to these seemingly simply cupcakes than plain vanilla - but you might not be able to guess the familiar flavor that made you go back for seconds.  Once I told you, you'd nod and taste the chocolate immediately!

Because the chocolate flavor is so understated, these cocoa butter cupcakes would be an ideal compromise cupcake to make for a family with some vanilla and some chocolate lovers.  You could top some of the cocoa butter cupcakes with chocolate whipped cream (as shown above) and some with vanilla whipped cream. 

Sorghum Cupcakes with Orange Whiskey Whipped Cream - Wild West Cupcakes

To bring Wild West week to a close (so far I've made wagon wheel pasta and wagon wheel cookies), I bring you Wild West cupcakes.  These aren't poser cupcakes. No, no.  The recipe for these sorghum cupcakes comes from a newspaper in the 1800's (it was for cake, not cupcakes, but close enough).  I found the cake recipe (I invented the frosting recipe) on Chronicle of the Old West where they report that, "This was a dessert made either at the ranch or restaurants in town.  It couldn’t be made on the cattle drive because of the need for butter and eggs, two items that would not remain fresh during a two to three month cattle drive."

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Tiramisu cupcakes, because they are served cold, are a refreshing way to beat the end of summer heat.  Making tiramisu cupcakes is not an original idea; many cupcake bloggers have made cupcake versions of tiramisu.  The common way of making tiramisu cupcakes is to start with a basic yellow or white cupcake recipe, flavor it with some rum and coffee, and top it with mascarpone, whipped cream, and cocoa powder.  While I would never turn down tiramisu cupcakes made that way, they miss out on what is to me the key feature of tiramisu - the topping to cake ratio.

Tiramisu has very little cake (ladyfingers) and LOTS of mascarpone and whipped cream topping.  Tiramisu's ladyfingers are like circus ringmasters: they keep everything together, but no one goes home talking about them.  The rum, coffee, mascarpone, whipped cream, and chocolate are the clowns, elephants, contortionists, unicycle rider, and man flying out of a cannon.  You simply won't forget them.  Because my tiramisu cupcakes start with just a small amount of "cupcake" (ladyfingers baked into cupcake wrappers), there is a TON of room for the "big top".

Witness:

Ready to make tiramisu cupcakes?

Mudslide Cupcakes with Baileys Irish Cream Whipped Cream

The expression "Don't judge a book by its cover" should never apply to cupcakes. While these mudslide cupcakes are tasty, their cover (a sweet Baileys Irish Cream whipped cream) is the exceptional part. In fact, several tasters said that they would have been happy to eat a big bowl of the whipped cream sans cupcake.

You'll see in the video at the bottom of this post (if you are the video watching type) that Bride and Groom 3.0 found the mudslide cupcakes to be a bit dry. I say that if you have the cupcakes with a big bite of the Baileys whipped cream and perhaps a sip of coffee with some more of the whipped cream on top, you've got yourself a moist and memorable morning treat.

Baileys Irish Cream Whipped Cream Recipe

The Baileys Irish Cream whipped cream frosting is such an important part of this cupcake that I am putting the frosting recipe first!

• 2 C heavy whipping cream
• 2/3 C sugar
• 2 T homemade Baileys Irish Cream (yes, store-bought would work just fine)

1. Whip heavy whipping cream until it looks like whipped cream.
2. Mix in sugar and Baileys Irish Cream until just combined.

Note: You may find yourself wanting to double the recipe if you like gobs of frosting. I'd suggest stocking up on some extra heavy whipping cream.

Mudslide Cupcake Recipe

Makes 12 cupcakes

• 2/3 C sugar
• 2 C flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 3 T ground coffee (your favorite kind)
  
• 3/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 C melted vanilla ice cream (you could also make this with coffee or mocha ice cream)
  
• 1/4 C homemade Kahlua (store-bought would work just fine)
• 1/4 C homemade Baileys Irish Cream (store-bought would work just fine)
• A little bit of chocolate for shaving on top (optional)
  
• 12 chocolate-covered espresso beans (optional)
  

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and coffee in a bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl for 1 minute until light and fluffy.
3. Beat eggs, ice cream, Kahlua, and Baileys into the butter/sugar mixture until blended.
4. Fold in flour mixture.
   
5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
   
6. Bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the cupcake clean.
7. Top with Baileys Irish Cream whipped cream (see above), shaved chocolate, and a chocolate covered espresso bean.
   

Bride and Groom 3.0 Mudslide Cupcake Video Review

This video not only contains the mudslide cupcake review but also some marital advice involving bodily functions. I think it may be the first time the f-word has been used on this site (the one that rhymes with heart - did you think I meant the one that rhymes with luck?).


Happy 2010!

I want to take a moment at the end of this long post to wish all of my readers a Happy 2010! Did you make resolutions? I'm not big on resolutions, but I've made one that requires no effort on my part:
If I win Birdie's Resolution Contest, I will get a cute new blog design in 2010. Wish me luck! If you'd like, you can enter, too, on Gisele Jaquenod and Birdie.

Footnote: Thanks again to Sugar Cat Studio for the sensational cupcake wrappers!

Banana Whipped Cream with Cacao Nibs

Banana whipped cream is the ultimate in decadence for the banana lover. Use it to top even the most boring desserts (if you're short on time, you could even use a store-bought cake) and you'll be sure to impress. Mixing in some crunchy cacao nibs takes the whipped cream to the next level of dessert heaven.

Banana Whipped Cream Recipe

Tip: Most recipes that call for bananas recommend that you use overripe bananas because they are extra sweet. This requires advance planning. If you have a spur of the moment desire to bake with bananas, you can microwave a not-so-ripe banana to bring out its sweetness.

• 1/2 C heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 C sugar
• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup cacao nibs

1. Whip heavy whipping cream until it looks like whipped cream.
2. Mix in sugar until incorporated.
3. Peel and slice banana.
   
4. Microwave the slices for 45 seconds. (This may vary by microwave. You are looking for something very soft, but not liquid.)
5. Mash the microwaved banana and let it come to room temperature.
   
6. Stir the banana and cacao nibs into the whipped cream.
   

Where Did You Get That GORGEOUS Cupcake Wrapper?

The gorgeous cupcake wrapper came from Alison of Sugar Cat Studio. I am excited to announce that Sugar Cat Studio is going to be a sponsor of Wedding 3.0!!! I'll be showcasing a variety of wrappers from Sugar Cat Studio in the months leading up to the wedding, and Alison will be creating custom wrappers for Bride and Groom 3.o's big day!

Don't wait to see her designs here, though - go check them out on her etsy site now. They would make a great gift for a cupcake lover. I adored the box they came in with the cute cupcake sticker!

Coming Soon

The cupcake under the frosting is up next.

How to Transport Cupcakes with Whipped Cream

I love frosting cupcakes with simple whipped cream frostings. When I need to transport the cupcakes in the summer heat, I always worry about the whipped cream becoming a big, melty mess.

What's a cupcake baker to do?

One option is to make the whipped cream frosting on site, which is messy - and who wants to shlep ingredients along to the party?

A better option is to use a cream whipper.



A cream whipper is an aluminum canister with a nitrous oxide charger that makes whipped cream on the fly. With a cream whipper, you can keep your cupcakes at room temperature and only worry about keeping the cream whipper cold (easily achieved in a small cooler). It's basically like making your own fresh Reddi-Whip.

The only downside of the cream whipper is that you can't put anything in it that isn't liquid or easily dissolved in liquid - so whipped cream with pieces of fruit, zest, or chunks of anything is out.

I was lucky enough to receive a free Liss Dessert Chef Cream Whipper to try out. But, they really aren't as expensive to buy as you might think. Liss is offering an awesome deal just for Cupcake Project readers. You can get one directly from them for $35.95.

Once I figured out how to use the cream whipper (the instructions were quite confusing), I really loved the product.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Lis Dessert Chef Cream Whipper

1. Begin by putting in your ingredients. A basic whipped cream frosting contains 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Add to that whatever flavors you like. For example, I made a lemon ginger whipped cream by adding 1/2 t lemon extract and 1/2 t ground ginger to the cream and sugar.

2. Put the rubber ring seals on top of the canister.
3. Screw on the top.

4. The charger (the thing that looks like a little bullet) comes in a separate box. Place a charger in the charger holder and screw it on to the lid. It may make a hissing sound. Do not fear. Note that you can only use a charger one time.

6. You are now ready to shake.


7. Shake the whole thing four or five times. It doesn't have to be miles away from your body like in the photo - I was just being dramatic about it.


8. Remove the charger holder. Replace the charger with the black nubby circle. Screw one of the two tips included with the cream whipper onto the the lid.

9. Frost away. I haven't yet mastered the art of pretty piping with the cream whipper, but it sure is fun!! You can even let your guests do their own frosting. Kids will LOVE it!

Whipped Cream Frosting with Peaches

Whipped cream frosting is so fresh and light. Using whipped cream frosting (and I don't mean Cool Whip) can be a great alternative to buttercream or cream cheese frostings.

Some of my favorite whipped cream frostings feature fruit (see my strawberry whipped cream frosting and my mango whipped cream frosting). For my maple ice cream cupcakes, I opted for a peach whipped cream frosting. Peaches 'n cream are a tried and true combination and maple and peach are a dynamic duo.

Peach Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe

• 1 C heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 C sugar
• 2/3 C finely pureed peaches, fresh or canned (If you plan to pipe the frosting, be sure to puree finely, otherwise they will get stuck in your piping tip - no fun! I used a food processor.)

1. Beat whipping cream on medium speed for about five minutes, until soft peaks form.
2. Mix in sugar.
3. Fold in peaches to the whipped cream.
4. Be sure to keep refrigerated.
   

Grape Cupcakes Topped with Wine Whipped Cream

Grape Cupcake Man says, "I love grape cupcakes!" Grape Cupcake Man also says, "I need you to lick the Muscat wine whipped cream frosting off of my grape cupcake face - it's blocking my eyes!"

When I first made Grape Cupcake Man, my in-house food photographer refused to take the photo: "It's just too weird." Perhaps I did go a bit overboard, but I wanted to use the whipped cream and I didn't want to hide the grapes like I did here:

Clearly, Grape Cupcake Man was the only choice.

Regardless of how you frost the grape cupcakes (or if you frost them at all), these grape cupcakes are a perfect choice to serve while sitting outside with a bottle of wine, grapes, cheese, and nuts. Enjoy!

Grape Cupcake Recipe

I found a most appetizing recipe for a grape cake on the Desert Candy blog and decided to convert it to grape cupcakes. I have included the recipe with my modifications below. The main change I made was to add some ginger and pineapple flavor to replicate the tastes found in my recent punch recipe.

Makes 12 cupcakes

• 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t ground ginger
  
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/2 C Muscat wine
• 1/2 C pineapple juice
  
• 3/4 C sugar
• 4 T (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 4 T (1/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 C red seedless grapes

1. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ginger into a medium-sized bowl.
2. Combine wine and pineapple juice in a small bowl.
   
3. Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, butter, and olive oil in a large bowl until smooth.
   
4. Whisk in eggs.
   
5. Add flour mixture alternately with wine/juice in 3 additions each, whisking just until smooth after each addition.
   
6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.
7. Sprinkle grapes over batter.
8. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes or until top gets slightly brown.
   

Muscat Wine Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe

This Muscat wine whipped cream frosting went perfectly with the cupcakes, but it worked nicely as a dip for grapes. Yum!

• 1 C Muscat wine
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 C heavy whipping cream

1. Bring wine and sugar to a boil in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan.
2. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for about thirty minutes.
3. Remove from heat and bring to room temperature.
4. Whip heavy whipping cream until it looks like whipped cream.
5. Add 1/3 C of the muscat wine syrup you just made.
   

Note: Use more whipping cream or less syrup if you want a thicker frosting.

Cornmeal Cupcakes with Orange Flavor and Grand Marnier Whipped Cream

My mother-in-law just reported that these cornmeal cupcakes with orange flavor and Grand Marnier whipped cream are her favorite cupcakes so far this year. She also said that she really liked the crunch. "The crunch?" I asked. Could a crunch possibly be a good thing in a cupcake? She thought so. Personally, I wouldn't describe the cupcakes as having a crunch, but they definitely do have more of a gritty texture than normal due to the coarse blue cornmeal.

My other taster of the week, Susan, enjoyed that the cornmeal cupcakes weren't overly sweet, and she also liked the orange flavor (which she felt could be even more pronounced).

As for me, I was happy to move back to a healthier (not healthy) cupcake after the cookie dough cupcakes. I felt springy and happy after eating a cornmeal cupcake.

Cornmeal Cupcake Recipe


I got the recipe for the cornmeal cupcakes from Garrett of Vanilla Garlic. When I first started this blog, I made several of his cupcakes and they were all hits. I haven't made one in a while, but when I started looking for a blue cornmeal cupcake to go with my blue cornmeal pancakes, he had the perfect recipe (he used yellow cornmeal, but that was an easy substitution)! The best part of the recipe is its simplicity, it requires only one bowl.

Garrett's recipe is below, with my notes.

Makes 12 cupcakes

• 1/2 C olive oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 C sugar
  
• 1/2 C dry white wine
• 1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C yellow cornmeal (I used blue cornmeal)
  
• 1 t salt
• 2 t baking powder
• Finely grated zest of one orange (I used 1/4 t orange extract instead)
  

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, sugar, and wine until smooth.
   
2. Add the other dry ingredients and the zest; whisk together gently.
3. Line cupcake tin with cupcake papers and spoon into the papers about 4/5 full.
   
4. Bake at 375 F for 22-25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Grand Marnier Whipped Cream Recipe

You could top these cupcakes with any number of frostings. They might be great with an orange buttercream frosting. I opted to make a Grand Marnier whipped cream.

• 1 C heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 C Grand Marnier syrup. See my Grand Marnier syrup recipe.
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 t Grand Marnier
  

1. Whip heavy whipping cream until it looks like whipped cream.
2. Mix in remaining ingredients.
   

Note: I added some food coloring to the whipped cream to create the middle of the flower. I typically avoid food coloring, but the flower needed some color and I decided to take the plunge.

Strawberry Whipped Cream Recipe

I think that I should just let the strawberry whipped cream photos speak for themselves. The strawberry whipped cream photos say, "Don't you want me, baby? Don't you want me, oh, oh, oh?" If you don't get this reference, watch the video at the end of the post. In the meantime, follow the recipe below and put some strawberry whipped cream on your pound cake cupcakes or on anything else that comes to mind.  



Strawberry Whipped Cream Recipe

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons food processed strawberries (take some fresh strawberries, wash them, remove the stems, and throw them in the food processor until they become a thick, seedy liquid)

1. Whip cream until it looks like whipped cream.
2. Mix in sugar.
3. Mix in strawberries until just combined.
4. Be sure to frost your cupcakes before you eat all of the strawberry whipped cream.

What to Drink with Your Cupcakes

What to Drink with Your Cupcakes

Milk is my drink of choice with cupcakes. My mother-in-law is all about coffee with her cupcakes. She sometimes even waits for her coffee to be ready before taking a bite because she loves the combination so much. Soda is certainly a popular choice among the kids' party circuit, although that's always been too much sugar for me.

Brewed Chocolate - Something New

If you want to try a completely new drink with your cupcakes and you are a coffee or tea fan, you may want to check out Cabaret Brewed Chocolate. I learned about brewed chocolate from Ivy, who mentioned it in a comment on this blog.

What is Brewed Chocolate?

First things first, brewed chocolate tastes nothing like hot chocolate - not even close! It is literally brewed cacao beans that have been slightly sweetened with cane sugar. It tastes like a cross between coffee and tea with a very mild hint of chocolate. It comes in a syrup that you add to hot water to make the drink.

The marketing for brewed chocolate all centers around the fact that it can make you feel good. The package even asks, "Can you feel it?" I'll be curious to hear if any of you have tried it and what your experience was. I found that it slightly accelerated my heartbeat. It's definitely something different that is worth trying.

To learn more about brewed chocolate and for your chance to win some, check out my interview with Rob Polevoi, founder of Caberat Brewed Chocolate, on Food Interviews.

Brewed Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe

I couldn't let my brewed chocolate just be a drink. I decided to use it in a frosting. My soon-to-be-posted bread pudding cupcakes were extremely chocolaty. I wanted a very mild frosting to go with them, but a hint of chocolate sounded like a nice idea - thus the birth of brewed chocolate whipped cream frosting.

The chocolate flavor in this frosting is so mild that it is barely identifiable, but it is present enough that it adds some character to an otherwise plain whipped cream.

• 1 C heavy whipping cream
• 2 T brewed chocolate

1. Whip heavy whipping cream until soft peaks forms (basically until it looks like frosting).
2. Add brewed chocolate. Mix until incorporated.

Raspberry Cupcakes with Lemon and Chocolate: A Vere Inspired Cupcake

Raspberry cupcakes with lemon and chocolate wrap up Vere week. Start back on Part I to read all of the Vere week posts.

The details of the raspberry cupcakes are after the break.

The Raspberry Cupcake Inspiration

The raspberry cupcake was based off of Vere's raspberry lemon organic dark chocolate bar. When Kathy first sent me the sample bar, I could barely taste the raspberries. However, when she sent me the full-sized bar, I could taste the berries and I was in love. First, you taste the chocolate, then the raspberries, and then it finishes with the lemon. The flavor combination was incredible.

I wanted a cupcake that would do the same thing!

Choosing the Raspberry Cupcake Recipe

Bon Appetit recently featured a lemon raspberry cupcake. It looked great, but it used raspberry jam. I wanted to use fresh raspberries.

I ended up turning to the now-retired-from-blogging but still ever useful Chockylit. She had a recipe for raspberry ricotta almond cupcakes that sounded amazing. Of course, modifications would need to be made - most notably, I used no ricotta and I added lemon extract and chocolate. I'm sure my cupcake tasted nothing like hers, however I must give credit where credit is due. Her recipe got me going in the right direction.

What's Happening On Top of Those Raspberry Cupcakes?

To accentuate the lemon flavor on the raspberry cupcakes, I baked some lemon cookie dough (well, it's not really cookie dough as you'll see later, but close enough) on top of some of the cupcakes. I made the cupcakes three ways:

1. With cookies in cookie shape. Unlike the cookie on the snickerdoodle cupcakes, this one kept its shape and did not meld into the cupcake. It has a completely different taste and texture from the cupcake. It almost looks like I just put the cookie on top of the cupcake, but it's actually baked on. It was topped with a small swirl of chocolate whipped cream and a fresh raspberry.
2. Crumbles of cookie dough on top. This cupcake kind was also topped with the chocolate whipped cream and raspberry combo.
3. No cookie dough. I simply covered the top with lots of chocolate whipped cream and of course the fresh raspberry.

How'd the Raspberry Cupcakes Taste?

I was excited that the raspberry cupcakes left me with a similar experience to the chocolate bar. I could taste all three flavors (raspberry, lemon, and chocolate) at different times, but also the wonderful combination of them together. The cupcakes were extraordinarily moist, but not so much as to be messy.

Check back for additional tasting notes and Bride and Groom 2.0's thoughts. Things have been vere busy and they haven't been able to taste the cupcakes yet.

Update: People raved and drooled over these cupcakes. They were a huge hit! Everyone loved their moistness and complex flavor. One friend and frequent taster even said that if it were his wedding, he would choose these!

Everyone, however, does not include Bride and Groom 2.0 and the friend that tasted with them. Bride and Groom 2.0 thought they were too dense and not moist enough. I will not judge their comments, but note my comments above about everyone else and moisture. Bride and Groom 2.0 also didn't like the texture of the raspberry seeds. That's definitely understandable. It's not for everyone. Groom 2.0 was, however, excited about the chocolate bits in the cake: "Oooh - chocolate bits!" Lastly, Bride and Groom 2.0 both enjoyed the frosting.

The Raspberry Cupcake Recipe

As I noted earlier, the raspberry cupcake recipe was an extreme modification of a recipe by Chockylit:

Makes about 18 cupcakes

• 1 C almond flour
• 1 C sugar
• 1/4 C plain yogurt
• 1/4 C sour cream
• 1/2 C (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 t lemon extract
• 2/3 C flour
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1 C finely chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
• 1 C raspberries

1. Mix almond flour and sugar.
2. Slowly add yogurt and sour cream.
3. Add butter, one tablespoon at a time.
4. Gradually add the eggs.
5. Add lemon extract.
6. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
7. Fold in the flour mixture.
8. Fold in the chocolate and raspberries.
9. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full. These cupcakes will not rise very much. If you want them to be taller, you can fill them ever higher.
10. If you are not putting the lemon cookie topping on the cupcakes, bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until the top bounces back when touched. If you are putting the lemon cookie topping on the cupcakes, don't put them in the oven yet! After you put the cookie topping on, follow the same baking instructions.

The Lemon Cookie Dough Recipe

The recipe that I used for the lemon cookie dough is actually tart dough from A Treasury of Great Recipes by Vincent Price. I've used this recipe as a pie crust for apple pies since I was a kid. It's a lousy pie crust in that it doesn't roll well at all, but it tastes so good that I just don't care. One of my favorite parts of preparing this recipe is that everything is mixed by hand. Get messy and lick your fingers!

• 1 1/4 C four
• 4 T sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 C) butter, room temperature
• 2 egg yolks
• Grated rind of 1 lemon

1. Put flour on a pastry board or any clean surface.
2. Make a well (basically a hole) in the center of the flour.
3. Put all the other ingredients in the well.
4. Use your hands to work all of the center ingredients into a paste.
5. Knead in the flour.
6. Keep working the dough until you can make it into one big ball.
7. Do with it whatever you want! I made little patties with some of it and laid them directly on the cupcakes before baking. I crumbled some of it over other cupcakes. I still had some left, so I rolled it into little balls and baked them on a cookie sheet at 350 F for 15 minutes.

The Chocolate Whipped Cream Recipe

As you can see from the photos of the cupcakes, on 2/3 of the cupcakes I used vere (will I ever stop spelling it like that?) little frosting. If you want to cover your cupcakes in frosting, be sure to double this recipe.

The picture above is of my frosting staging area. Every time I frost, I use a little test plate to pipe a bit before piping onto my cupcakes. This gives me a chance to play with ideas and get a better feel for the consistency of the frosting.

• 1/2 C heavy whipping cream
• 2 T sugar
• 2 T cocoa powder

1. Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form.
2. Beat in sugar.
3. Beat in cocoa powder.
4. Pipe or spread or just lick the beater.

Mango Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe: Light and Refreshing

I wanted a light and refreshing topping for my Indian cupcakes. Mango whipped cream frosting fit the bill. Mango whipped cream frosting would also be great on a pound cake or angel food cake or cheesecake or to dip crackers in or whatever you can dream up!

Buying Mangoes

Buy the correct kind of mango.

There was an Indian man in front of the mango section in my grocery store. He was spending a long time trying to decide which mango to purchase and clearly knew what he was doing. Not knowing much about mangoes, I asked him for help in picking a good one. He told me something that surprised me - none of the mangoes in that bin would work for me. I was looking at raw mangoes, which are unripe mangoes used for pickling. He directed me to the more common mangoes I would want to use for my whipped cream.

You probably won't find raw mangoes in your standard U.S. grocery store. However, I happened to be shopping at an international supermarket because I needed other Indian ingredients that they don't sell at most groceries. If you find yourself shopping somewhere with multiple mango varieties and you are not a mango maven, ask someone before buying the first mango you see.

Make sure the mango is ripe.

Before you use the mango, make sure it is ripe. Kate's Global Kitchen tell us how to tell if a mango is ripe: "Smell it. It should have a fragrance and the skin should give slightly when pressed. Some books say a mango is ripe when it has a pink blush to it, but that depends on the variety."

Mango Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe

• 1 C heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 C sugar
• 2/3 C mango (about one large mango)

1. Beat whipping cream on medium speed for about five minutes, until soft peaks form.
2. Add sugar.
3. Cut up your mango, being sure to remove all skin. Then, use a food processor or blender to turn your mango into a pulp.
4. Add the mango to the whipped cream.
5. Be sure to keep refrigerated.