presto change-o avocado (and a little disney magic)

Are you as fascinated by magicians as I am? I want to know all their secrets, but at the same time, I don't want to have my awe spoiled by some simple explanation.

There's show magic involving cards and mirrors and rabbits in hats, but there's also magic in the real world. My favorite kind is kitchen magic. How amazing is it that runny, mucous-y egg whites will become so smooth and fluffy and luxurious when a little bit of air is incorporated? Isn't it fantastic that some high heat will make a floppy, bland piece of white bread become crunchy and flavorful? And who guessed that passing hot water through ground up berries would result in the most magical beverage in all of creation? I'd like to give that dude a big hug...even if he is an Ethiopian goat-herder or long-dead Middle Eastern sheik.

I stumbled onto another example of kitchen magic not too long ago. When I think about buttercream frosting, the words "rich," "creamy," and "luscious" come to mind, and I realized that the same adjectives could be applied to a little green fruit called the avocado. This frosting recipe is quite a find. By using avocado to replace some of the butter in a traditional buttercream frosting recipe, you not only lighten up the whole batch (calorie-wise and weight-wise!), but you also add a subtle nutty flavor and an awesome green hue.

If you’re making something for the vegan in your life (or if you ARE the vegan in your life), feel free to replace all of the butter with avocado. You could also add a little lemon extract for a citrusy twist or perhaps some almond flavoring for an even more nutty effect. I went with mint here because I find it to be a great partner to chocolate. I filled the cupcakes with sweetened whipped cream because...well, it's sweetened whipped cream.

There was a time when I thought avocados were limited to Mexican entrees or just added to a sandwich to make it "California-style," but those days are behind me now. The avocado can be appropriate in just about anything! What magic have you discovered in your kitchen lately?

FYI, there's an all-new new Disney movie being released on Blu-ray™ and Digital HD April 1, and that's no joke. It's called The Pirate Fairy and it looks like a lot of fun, even to a 30-year-old. Buy it here or read more here.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Magical Mint Avocado Frosting
Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
Chocolate cupcakes:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Minty avocado frosting:

• 2 ripe avocados yielding about 8 ounces of actual fruit
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
• Pinch of salt

Whipped cream filling:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed. Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

To make the filling, simply whip the cream and sugar until stiff, then blend in the vanilla extract.

To make the frosting, peel and pit the avocado, then cream the avocado and butter together until smooth. Blend in the lemon juice. With the mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt and add extracts. If desired, add more sugar to make the frosting thicker.

To fill the cupcakes, carve out a cone-shaped hole and squirt the whipped cream inside. Apply frosting generously to the cupcakes, top with sprinkles, and, after giving the components a few minutes to get to know each other, devour.