Tennis Anyone? Nectarine Cupcakes with White Chocolate-Cardamom Butter Cream Frosting

Ripe nectarines...did you know that nectarines are essentially the same fruit as Peaches, the primary difference is that nectarines are smooth-skinned and peaches are fuzzy...white chocolate, cardamom all wrapped up in a cupcake...what more could you want? Love....or a

doubles tennis match played on a clay court!

Seriously, four ripe nectarines called to me to be cupcaked and I could not refuse....and I read about this frosting recipe with cardamom...I always thought it was cardamon...oh, well...on http://cupcakeblog.com/ and I knew it was a match made in heaven!
Layla was so tired from our walk last night that she couldn't even rally to keep her eyes on the cupcake...advantage cupcake!

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
One box of Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix
4 good sized nectarines(peeled, and food processed)
1 box of instant vanilla pudding

For the frosting:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1-2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Making the cupcakes:

1. Follow the recipe on the cake mix box
2. Add in the processed nectarines
3. Add in the instant vanilla pudding
4. Mix with an electric mixer for 1:30 minutes
5. Pour batter into paper cupcake papers
6. Bake according to directions on box
7. Let cool before frosting

Making the frosting:

1. In a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, gently melt the white chocolate. Allow to cool for 2 minutes or so.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy.
2. Beat in the melted white chocolate.
3. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar, vanilla, and cardamom and beat at low speed, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl, until light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar to arrive at the consistency and sweetness you like.

Here's my tennis joke of the week:

Q: What did the tennis ball say when it got hit?

A: Who's making all the racquet?

C Ya!

CQ