Feed a (Spring) Fever
Spring has sprung and I smell the blooming perennials just around the corner. The cup of rainforest blend I just enjoyed may have helped to awaken such keen senses. With that in mind, I feel it’s time to kick it into retro modern mode and flow on some flower power. Plant some violets. Smell the roses. As George Harrison sang, “Here comes the sun. It’s all right.” I know what you’re saying: “Huh?” Humor me and take part in my spring fever stream of consciousness.
Every spring, I am so captivated by nature that my appetite for the outdoors is insatiable. I’m so inspired by the smell of fresh cut grass that I picture myself running through meadows on the mountainside in Heidi braids and singing at the top of my lungs. Keep in mind that this is purely derived from sense memory, as I live in Manhattan and the closest thing to fresh cut grass that I get to smell is usually hanging from a taxicab’s rearview in the form of a tree-shaped air freshener. It’s enough, though, to make me want to pack my bags, throw away my metro cards, and high-tail it to the country. But I don’t. As we all know, nobody likes a traitor.
So every year about this time when the freshness of the air is apparent, and the flowers are itching to show themselves, I can’t help but want to preserve them in all their beauty. Any bit of spring that I can enjoy, I lap up like my Raja kitty would her milk. So I finish my soy latte, grab my pack, shoot down to the flower district, and buy myself a bunch of violets. In an attempt to create serenity in what meekly resembles a garden, I fill up the window boxes on my fire escape and pretend the incessant honking from down below is merely amplified hummingbird sneezes. They must be suffering from a little hay fever. Poor things.
So, in wanting to spread the love and share in this wondrous feeling we’ve tagged as “spring fever," I take one bunch of these beautiful violets and give them a little sugar. The great thing about crystallizing mother earth’s edible gifts is that when properly stored they last a whole year, taking you right into the next spring. If you are fortunate enough to actually live where the wild things are and are able to smell the heavenly smell of fresh cut grass that I so often yearn for, I assume you have a little more storage space than I.
With that in mind, I suggest that you make a nice big batch of these candied violets so you can use them on cakes, cupcakes, or even on your bagel with cream cheese in the morning. Why not? I say put a little spring sunshine in every day!
This week we're bringing in the sunshine with lemon cream cupcakes and candied violets. I’ve just made a batch myself and I’m about to eat my words. Can’t wait!
Serves/Makes: 10
- violets
- 1 extra-large egg white, at room temperature
- water
- superfine sugar
In a small bowl, combine the egg white with a few drops of water and whisk lightly until the white just shows a few bubbles. Place the sugar in a shallow dish. If you just have granulated sugar, put the sugar (1/2 cup at a time) into a blender and whirl until the sugar is broken into smaller crystals.
Holding a flower or petal in one hand, dip a small paint brush into the egg white with the other and gently paint the flower. Cover the flower or petal completely but not too generously.
Holding the flower or petal over the sugar dish, gently sprinkle sugar evenly all over on all sides. Turn the flower so excess sugar falls off. It is not necessary to shake it. Place the violet on waxed paper to dry. Continue with the rest of the flowers.
Let the flowers dry completely; they should be free of moisture. It is dry where I live so this happens when I leave them out overnight on the counter. In a more humid environment you can place the candied flowers in an oven with a pilot light overnight, or in an oven set at 150 degrees F to 200 degrees F with the door ajar for a few hours.
Store the dried, candied flowers in airtight containers until ready to use. They will keep for as long as a year.
Made with cake flour, baking powder, salt, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, lemons, eggs, milk
Serves/Makes: 12
- 1 1/2 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 lemons, finely grated zest of
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup milk
***Grand Marnier Cream***
- 3 large egg whites
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
- 1/2 large orange, finely grated zest of
For Cupcakes: Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
On low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk in the three batches, ending with the liquid.
Fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with the batter. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees F until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
For Grand Marnier Cream: Put the egg whites into a clean mixer bowl (Bowl should be spotlessly grease-free for best results). Whisking constantly, gradually add 3/4 cup sugar.
Place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, making certain that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the mixture is hot.
Fit the mixer with a whisk attachment and whip the meringue until it holds tall, stiff, glossy peaks. Switch to a paddle attachment.
Gradually add the cut-up butter to the meringue and beat until light and fluffy. Add the liqueur and orange zest and beat to incorporate.
Spoon the cream into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip and pipe the cream on top of each cupcake.
related articles
2 comments
Sara, you are just too adorable. Love your writing style. This article really made me smile.
Sara's Response:
Yeah! I love making people smile. Much appreciated.Comment posted by Jen
Sara Rae you have done it again......your articles bring us right into the kitchen with you...there are no descriptives for the Lemon Cream Cupcakes recipe........YUMMY! I look forward to every Thursday and another delicious ride on line with you.......thanks!
Comment posted by Lynnie
Write a comment:
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/sara-rae-gore/88-spring-fever/