Savory Thyme Turnip Cupcakes for Daylight Saving Time

Daylight Saving Time is a such an overlooked event.  We simply fall back or spring ahead, laugh at our forgetful friends who show up late or early to events, and fumble through changing that one clock in our house that is always so much harder to adjust than all the others.  Some of us also change our smoke alarm batteries on Daylight Saving Time day - smart, but not really celebratory. 

I propose that we celebrate Daylight Saving Time the same way that we celebrate everything else - with cupcakes!


If you want to be straight and narrow about it, you could bake up some Ultimate Vanilla Cupcakes and top them with clock cupcake toppers.  But, if you are willing to take a risk and try something totally different, somewhat healthy (it's got veggies in it), and shockingly tasty, I suggest you spend Daylight Saving "Thyme" day baking and enjoying savory thyme turnip cupcakes. 

What does a Thyme Turnip Cupcake Taste Like?

Thyme turnip cupcakes taste like the smell of a garden on a dewy morning.  They're herbal and fresh with a little zing from the turnip and a touch of sunshine from the addition of orange juice.  They are like nothing you've had before, but once you've tried them you may "fall back" on them again and again and "spring ahead" of the rest of your family to be the first one to grab a cupcake from the tray.

Thyme Turnip Cupcake Recipe

Yield: 14 Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup, peeled, cooked, and mashed turnips (about 3 medium-sized turnips), room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup orange juice

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon pulp-free orange juice
• fresh thyme for garnish, optional

Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, thyme, and baking soda and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fully combined.
4. Mix in the mashed turnips until fully combined.
5. Mix in the eggs and orange juice until fully combined.
6. Mix in the flour mixture a little bit at a time until just combined.
7. Fill cupcake liners just over halfway full.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry.

Frosting Directions:

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer for three minutes on high speed until light and fluffy.
2. Mix in powdered sugar a little bit at a time until fully combined.
3. Mix in thyme and orange juice until fully combined.
4. Spread or pipe on cooled cupcakes.
5. Optionally, top cupcakes with fresh thyme.