Fluffy Saint Martin’s Day Chestnut Cupcakes

Happy Saint Martin’s Day! So what better way to celebrate than sharing some fantastic chestnut cupcakes. I know it sounds strange, and I know they look pretty basic, but I promise you these are some of the best cupcakes you will ever eat, especially if you love chestnuts like I do. They are super creamy, with an intense chestnut aroma that goes hummmmmhummm.

And yes, I almost made a glaze or a buttercream to top it off, just to be as authentic as possible. But I figured I would end up ruining something delicious with an excess of originality, so I left them as they are. I’m a country boy at heart, and I believe a cupcake should come with everything already included. When you add fillings and toppings, the cake itself often gets lost in all that excess. Let’s check the recipe!

Fluffy Saint Martin’s Day Chestnut Cupcakes

Servings: 8
Time: 1hr
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
Print

Ingredients

Chestnuts – 250g
Fennel – A pinch
Butter – 50g
Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon
Brown Sugar – 125g
Eggs – 3 (Separated)
Salt – A pinch

Directions

Start by boiling the chestnuts in a pot with plenty of water. If they are still in their shells, make a small cut in each one, once boiled, you will need to peel them. Alternatively, you can use frozen, pre-peeled chestnuts.
Add a little fennel seed to the water and cook until the chestnuts are tender. (If you need help with this step, you can find instructions on how to boil chestnuts.)

Drain the chestnuts, let them dry slightly, and then process or mash them. You don’t need a perfectly smooth, creamy purée, just ensure there are no large chunks left. (Be careful not to overwork them, much like potatoes, if you process them too much, they will turn into a gummy paste rather than a light purée.) Set aside to cool.
Preheat your oven to 180ºC (356ºF) and line the bottom of a muffin tin with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Add the egg yolks and whisk a little more.
Next, add the processed chestnuts, baking powder, and a pinch of salt, mixing everything together well.

Finally, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the cupcake batter. Folding is a crucial step, do not whisk the mixture at this stage, as you want to keep the air in the batter to ensure a light, airy texture.
Pour the batter into the muffin tin cups and bake. They should take about 19 minutes or less, these cupcakes cook quickly. If you’re unsure, test them as you would any other cake, insert a toothpick into the center,if it comes out dry, they are done.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool slightly. They are ready to be served as they are, or dusted with a little powdered sugar. Enjoy, and Happy St. Martin’s Day! ;D

Notes & Tips: Since this cake uses boiled chestnuts, it works great with frozen chestnuts, so you can make it out of season if you feel like it. Also note that is this a flour-less recipe!

If you want a richer version, I would say fill each cupcake cup a bit more (I thought they would rise more, but apparently this is a naturally denser cake) and sprinkle the top with sliced almonds, then dust with powdered sugar once baked.

Erva-doce in Portugal usually means fennel seed (sometimes aniseed), so either one works here. Just keep it to a pinch, it should whisper in the background, not shout.

Let the boiled chestnuts dry out and cool completely before mixing. Wet or warm chestnuts can make the batter heavy and melt the butter and sugar creaminess you worked to build.

These bake fast, so start checking with a toothpick a couple of minutes early. Overbaking dries out the creamy texture.

This recipe for Fluffy Saint Martin’s Day Chestnut Cupcakes was originally created on BakeAfter. Esta receita de Queques de Castanhas Cozidas foi publicada em português no Iguaria.