Sweet-talk just as tempting second time (+ recipe)

Celebration Cupcakes
by Tamara Jane, New Holland, $34.99
Tamara Jane is a name many New Zealanders will recognise. She is a regular chef on TV One's Good Morning show and owns a cupcake shop called Tempt in Wellington. Celebration Cupcakes is a sequel to her best-selling Divine Cupcakes.
One look at the cover and your mouth will water. Inside there's more of the same, thanks to some amazing photography by Danielle Saudino and Adam Toomer. All the cupcake recipes are based on birthday, Christmas and other celebrations.
There is also a cake section and an extensive icing and how-to guide. The book is beautifully presented and just makes you want to rush into the kitchen and start baking.

Linda Hall asked Tamara about her latest offering.
Why do you think cupcakes have become so popular?
They've been popular in New Zealand for several years now - I think it's still the fact that they are individual, beautiful to look at and make great wedding favours or gifts.
Are all the recipes your own?
No recipe is ever completely new; you take the bits from one and add your own twist, change up the frosting combinations and - voila - a "new" recipe. I really like to look at old recipes and modernise them or give them a flavour that's relevant to the palates of today. For example, looking at using feijoas.
What inspires the flavours you come up with?
The New Zealand palate is quite specific. Our customers don't like extremely sweet or over-frosted cakes, so we've made sure we develop recipes that work to this. The ginger cupcake and afghan cupcakes are quite specific to New Zealand. I like to be seasonal as well, so citrus flavours in summer, more dense chocolatey ones in cooler months.
What is your favourite?
The gluten-free carrot cake - I'm gluten-intolerant and nobody ever picks up that this cake is gluten-free, with the lovely spices and nuts in it.
What's the secret to perfect cupcakes?
Accurate measurement, really good-quality ingredients and baking the cakes correctly.
What can't you do without in the kitchen?
Electronic scales and the radio.
What's the next "trend" in the kitchen?
Well, macaroons are trying really hard, and then there's whoopee pies! But I think the biggest trend at the moment is for weddings where couples are forgoing a traditional cake in favour of a dessert or sweet buffet. It's a really lovely idea, with great options for colour and lots of treats to choose from.
EXTRACT:
Feijoa Cupcakes with Lime and Vodka Filling
(Makes 30)
230g butter
330g caster sugar
4 eggs
415g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
125ml feijoa pulp (about 6 feijoas)
125ml milk
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line two-and-a-half 12-hole muffin trays with 30 paper cupcake  cases. Beat the butter and sugar with  two of the eggs until light and fluffy. Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the combined plain flour and baking powder, then the feijoa pulp and milk. Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake cases, filling each about two-thirds of the way to the top. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Decoration: Scoop a small piece out of the centre of each cupcake using a teaspoon or melon-baller. Fill each cavity with a teaspoon of vodka and lime filling. Pipe the cupcake with vanilla, lemon or lime frosting and decorate with a lime slice made from gum paste.
Lime and Vodka Filling: 395g tin condensed milk, 65ml lime juice, zest of 1 lime, 65ml vodka.
Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate overnight before using. The mixture will seem very runny, but after refrigeration  it will become creamy. It will keep for several weeks when stored in the fridge.
Vanilla Frosting: 250g butter, 800g icing sugar, 85-100ml milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract or essence.
Place the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat on a low speed with electric beaters until combined, then increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until the frosting lightens in colour and becomes fluffy. You might need to add a little more milk,  one tablespoon at a time, if the mixture is too stiff. Store in an airtight container. This frosting will keep for three days out of the fridge or  one week in the fridge. You might need to gently soften the refrigerated frosting for 15 seconds in the microwave before
piping on to the cupcakes.
Variations: Lemon or lime frosting:  omit the vanilla extract/essence and add the grated zest of one lemon or one lime. Squeeze juice from lemon or lime and measure this with the milk to make 65ml liquid in total, then add to the mixture.