White chocolate cupcakes with candied kumquats and a big thank you

Thank you for your book suggestions – you guys are wonderful! I’m about to decide which book I’ll read first and thanks to you I have enough ideas to choose from now and in the months to come.

Since I’m inclined to choose a classic book, I bring you something classic, too: cupcakes. But I mean classic, not plain: the candied kumquats add not only a splash of color but also a delicious and unexpected flavor.

Make sure you use really good white chocolate, because the flavor is absolutely evident, especially in the cakes.

White chocolate cupcakes with candied kumquats
slightly adapted from the always beautiful and so delicious Bon Appetit Desserts

Candied kumquats:
½ cup (120ml) water
½ cup (100g) superfine sugar
12 kumquats, sliced and seeded

Cupcakes:
225g (8oz) high-quality white chocolate, chopped
1 ¾ cups (245g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (200g) superfine sugar
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks/170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
½ cup (120ml) canned unsweetened coconut milk

Frosting:
125g (4 ½ oz) high-quality white chocolate, chopped
168g (6 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup (35g) icing sugar, sifted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Start by making the candied kumquats: stir water and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Add kumquats and return to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until fruit is tender and liquid is syrupy, about 20 minutes. Transfer to bowl; cool to room temperature. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.)

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line eighteen 1/3-cup (80ml) capacity muffin cups with paper liners.
Place white chocolate in metal bowl set over pan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth, then remove from heat and cool slightly.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and vanilla in large bowl until blended and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape sides of the bowl. Add the white chocolate to the batter and stir to combine. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with coconut milk in 2 additions, beating batter just to combine between additions.
Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake until lightly golden and a skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Make the frosting: stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in melted white chocolate. Let cool until thickened to spreadable consistency (refrigerate if necessary).

Assembling: spread frosting over cupcakes. Drain candied kumquats and arrange the kumquat slices decoratively atop cupcakes. (Can be assembled 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Makes 18 – I made 2/3 of the recipe above for I have only one muffin pan (with 12 cavities); I got exact 12 cupcakes