When garden store owner Lisa duHamel expanded her business, she threw a party to celebrate. Now, friends and customers can’t wait for what has become a yearly event.


Try out the recipe for her scrumptious almond cupcakes.

Almond Cupcakes
9 1/2 oz almond paste
9 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
6 large eggs
1 cup cake flour, sifted
apricot jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper muffin cups.
Put almond paste, butter and sugar in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process for a full minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture should look smooth.
Scrape the almond mixture into another bowl and add eggs. Using an electric mixer, beat at medium speed until the mixture is smooth and satiny, about three minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Sprinkle in the flour, about 1/4 cup at a time, folding in gently but thoroughly with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into muffin cups, filling each halfway.
Bake until golden and top feels springy, about 15 minutes. Makes 24 cupcakes.

While your cupcakes are cooling, look in this issue for
the recipe for the rum buttercream icing. Our mouths are watering!