Key Lime Pie Cupcakes

A few weeks ago I went to a bridal shower for a friend who is getting married in Miami in a few weeks (her fiance is from there), so the theme of the shower, logically, was Miami.

I was asked to bring dessert and the first thing I thought of was Key lime pie.  But not everyone is into Key lime pie (although I think everyone likes Steve's Key Lime Pie, especially the Swingles), so I decided to bring, yes, cupcakes.

Mango-Pistachio Crunch Cake (Mom's Birthday Cake)

Today is my mom's birthday, and what sweeter way to celebrate than with a cake made just to suit her palate. 

My mom loves mango, pistachios, saffron, and cardamom, and I've made her birthday cake using these ingredients in previous years.  But this year, I wanted to shake up this cake, and this is what I came up with.

Mango Kulfi Cupcakes

These cupcakes were also on the menu at my party a few weeks ago, and they are by far my favorite cupcake that I make. I’m pretty sure it’s because the combination of cardamom and Alphonso mango is a very typical and traditional combination in Indian sweets, and the pairing of these flavors transports me back to my single-digit years, particularly when my parents would buy me and my brother mango kulfi pops after a Sunday of shopping in Jackson Heights. I also love these cupcakes because they are a delightfully delicious juxtaposition of cultures: traditional Indian flavors presented in an adorably modern American way.

Tropical Dinner Part 6: Kiwi Lime Cheesecake Tartlets

The aforementioned kiwis needed to be used up, and I also had cream cheese in my fridge. So, of course, a kiwi cheesecake was the perfect ending to this meal. I didn’t think kiwis would actually work in the cheesecake filling, so I decided to flavor the filling with lime and top off the cheesecake with the kiwis (which always make for a lovely presentation). 

The crust is a twist on a standard graham cracker crust for a cheesecake, and it’s the one I use for my Asian-inflected pumpkin pie, which is now my annual contribution to my family’s Thanksgiving dinner (although in recent years, I’ve been contributing most of the meal, too!)

Tropical Dinner Part 3: Mango Papaya Salsa

The idea for this fruit salsa came to me along with that for the macadamia-crusted marinated tofu, as a similar fruit salsa was the accompaniment for the crusted yellowtail that was the inspiration for the tofu recipe. I just happened to have mangos and a papaya sitting in my fridge last week, so I decided that I would invite both of them to the party.

This salsa totally exceeded my expectations – it’s perfectly sweet, tart, savory, bright, and spicy all at once. You’ll have more than you need for the 4 servings that the rest of menu calls for, which is a good thing, because you’ll want to just eat it straight out of the bowl – it’s really that good!