In case you haven’t heard the good news, it’s Oregon Wine Month. It’s time to bake up some decadence — you deserve it. Alisha Falkenstein, the innovative pastry chef from Pazzo Ristorante at the Hotel Vintage in Portland, recreated the Italian restaurant’s pastry lineup, and has been utilizing delicacies to showcase authentic Northwest ingredients ever since. Now, she’s sharing the perfect, indulgent recipe for us to express our love for Oregon wine.
When Falkenstein prepares her cupcakes, she enjoys using local Pinot Noir from the Dundee Hills area in Willamette Valley to add flavor and color. The grapes grown in the Dundee Hills region are cultivated in rich, volcanic Jory soil, just like Elevée Vineyard‘s estate 2015 Pinot Noir. “This type of soil brings out red-fruit notes, cardamom and warming spices which complement dark chocolate very nicely,” she explains.
Falkenstein suggests topping the cupcakes with any cream-cheese based icing of your choice, or the Italian buttercream icing she uses herself. But the garnishes seal the deal. “The cupcakes are garnished with a sprinkling of freeze dried raspberries, balancing the richness of the chocolate while still complementing the red fruit accents in the wine,” she says.
Pinot Noir and Olive Oil Cupcakes
Makes 24 regular sized cupcakes, or about 72 minis
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup Dutch cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
3/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup Elevée Vineyards 2015 Pinot Noir
1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 350° F. In a stand-up mixer, use the paddle attachment to combine all dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, oil and milk. Slowly add in the egg mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing on medium to high speed for 1-2 minutes until batter becomes shiny and smooth. Set the mixer to its lowest setting, slowly adding the wine and water. Mix until well combined. Prepared muffin tin and cupcake liners, if desired.
Scoop batter into muffin tin. If making mini cupcakes, bake for six minutes, rotating until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. For full size cupcakes, start with 15 minutes or until cupcakes are fully baked in the center.
Italian Buttercream Icing:
Makes about 3 cups
4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
12 oz softened butter
1 1/2 cups of melted dark chocolate
1 cup Elevée Vineyards 2015 Pinot Noir
For the buttercream, pour egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer. In a separate pan, begin heating sugar and water to approximately 238° F on a baking thermometer. Start whisking egg whites on high. Let the sugar and water mixture reach its peak temperature of 248° F, then pour the hot sugar over into mixing eggs; continually mixing on high until room temperature.
Once settled to room temperature, add butter. Add cooled, melted chocolate. Gradually add wine until fully combined.
