Peanut Butter Pickle Mashup

 
Yikes! Forget about that title for a second. What happened to my Blogger posting/layout page?

If you don't use Blogger like I do to blog, than you'll probably have know idea what I mean, but if you do, you may have noticed the new set up. As I type this, I think they're going for a new look just to confuse me a bit (okay Blogger, it's working; can we go back to the old look?). Let's hope I can still navigate it (so far, I'm getting a little frustrated with the photos, spacing, font size, etc.).


Anyway, back to the pb, pickles and cupcakes, oh my! Now that's an interesting combo, which has the taste round of "Cupcake Wars" written all over it. In fact, it was a cupcake baked up by one of the contestants on last Sunday's Roller Derby Dolls episode, where the challenge was to make a tasty cupcake out of some insane flavor mashups. Most of the combos included some kind of animal product, like caviar and sweetbreads (please don't let the name fool you on that one), so pb and pickle seemed to be the best bet.

The judges were pleasantly surprised, and since my sister used to eat peanut butter and pickle sandwiches, I figured I should try this combo, too, with my Rawdorable spin on a cupcake. I went straight to my kitchen, finely diced some cucumber (saving a slice for the garnish), and let it soak in some raw apple cider vinegar, dill and sea salt.


When the fresh cucumber pickle relish was to my liking, I made this cupcake:

Rawdorable PB Pickle Cupcake
*my Rawdorable take on the Peanut Butter Pickle Cupcake made by Rebecca Zukowski of Blondies cupcake bakery in Catasauqua

• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1 Tbsp. fresh cucumber pickle relish (finely diced cucumber, marinated in raw apple cider vinegar, dill and sea salt, to taste)
• 1/2 Tbsp. date paste
• 1/2 tsp. fresh cucumber pickle juice (leftover from making the pickle relish)
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• dash of sea salt
• *"Butterdream" mixed with natural peanut butter, to taste, for frosting
• *peanut butter drizzle (natural peanut butter mixed with thinned out date paste or other liquid sweetener, to taste)
• *reserved crumbs and one fresh cucumber pickle slice for garnish

In a mini food processor or blender, grind the almonds (you can also substitute some of the almonds for leftover nut pulp from making nutmilk to result in a lighter cake texture) and cashews into a crumb. Remove up to 1/2 Tbsp. of the crumbs to reserve for garnish.

Add the cucumber relish to the crumbs in the food processor. Process enough to incorporate them into the now flour-like consistency, and transfer the "flour" to a bowl.

Next, add the date paste, fresh pickle juice, vanilla and sea salt. Whisk to combine (a whisk helps keep the "batter" fluffier). The batter should be moist, but not so damp that it requires "baking" in a dehydrator (although you could if you desire).

Form the batter into a cupcake shape, using a reusable silicone liner or small ramekin. Frost the cupcake with "Butterdream" icing mixed with natural peanut butter to your liking (I had planned on using the ratio from this cupcake, but Hayden insisted we add a lot more peanut butter this time). Then, sprinkle the top with the reserved crumbs, drizzle with the peanut butter drizzle, and garnish with a fresh cucumber pickle slice.

*****

I know it sounds wacky (Rebecca Zukowski actually refers to her cupcakes that she makes with vinegar and baking soda to replace the eggs as "wacky cakes"), but that cupcake was really good. I just might have to make it again :-)


On another note, happy belated Earth Day everyone! I'm so excited to say that my kids and I won "The Lorax" prize pack a while back from Girlie Girl Army (Hayden is wearing the yellow mustache we received, along with a Lorax t-shirt, three truffula tree pencils, some Seventh Generation cleaning products and a Fandango gift card), and were able to go see the movie. We loved it and highly recommend it. Thanks Chloe Jo and Universal Pictures!