Makes 1 dozen cupcakes

Cupcakes are cute and classy, sweet and mini, and perfectly portable for picnics, tailgates, or parties. The flavor combos with the cake and frosting are endless, but here, we are celebrating New Mexico’s abundant prickly pear food artisans. In addition to all the lemonades, kombuchas, and jams made with prickly pear, you can also source local prickly pear syrups to add color and flavor to your sweets.

Use a plastic syringe to inject prickly pear syrup into the cupcake, and just like that, you’ve elevated your dessert game. I used one of the free syringes provided by the pharmacy for administering liquid medicine to your kids, but you can also use a chopstick or a fork. Top with frosting, and you have the perfect handheld treat to cap off your picnic.

Print Recipe

Prickly Pear Cupcakes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1 1/3 cups cake flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 –4 tablespoons prickly pear syrup (NM Prickly Pear Syrup or Prickly Foods Prickly Pear Syrup)

Frosting

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup prickly pear syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream, cold from refrigerator

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 365˚F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside. Melt butter and let it cool.

Cupcakes

  • Mix flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, mix sugar with melted butter using a rubber spatula. Add yogurt, milk, egg, and vanilla extract, and stir until combined. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fill each paper liner about 3/4 full and bake for 15–18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Frosting

  • In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, whip butter until smooth. Add prickly pear syrup and vanilla; mix until fully incorporated. Gradually add powdered sugar (1/2 cup at a time) while continuing to mix until the frosting is thick and creamy. Add heavy cream and continue to mix until there are no large air pockets. Set aside.
  • Once cupcakes have cooled completely, use a chopstick or fork to poke several holes into the top of the cupcake. For each cupcake, carefully spoon 1/2 tablespoon of the syrup into the holes. Alternately, use a syringe to poke a few holes and squeeze the syrup in. Top with frosting and serve.

Notes

To store cupcakes, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and heat. For more extended storage, freezing is a better option than refrigeration—pop them in your picnic basket in the morning, and they will be ready for serving at lunchtime.

*Sourcing note: La Montañita Co-op carries local prickly pear syrups at all their locations when in season.