In making Absinthe Cupcakes

While I appreciate the culture and mystique of Absinthe and its cousin pastis, I'm not a fan of anise-based drinks.  I am, however, a fan of anise-baked anything, and do like that flavor when baked in cakes and cookies, such as biscotti. I had a suspicion that a buttery cupcake with a healthy shot of Absinthe in the batter, then more Absinthe added as a crunchy glaze would be a success...and it was! Happily, the flavor of anise goes amazingly well with chocolate too, so feel free to pair this with a favorite Chocolate Ice Cream or a dark, slick chocolate sauce.

If you live in a place where you don't have the freedom to get Absinthe, you should move. Aside from that, you can substitute an anise-scented apertif, such as Pernod, pastis, or ouzo, although they don't have that sublime, sneaky herbaceous flavor and aroma found in true Absinthe.

Oh, and one more thing, I do recommend that you use Rumford baking powder, or a similar brand, that doesn't contain any aluminum. Most natural-food stores and Trader Joe's carry aluminum-free baking powder and you'll notice a major difference in your baking once you go aluminum-free. You'll never miss that tinny aftertaste you get when using other brands.

Recipe has been posted in the Recipes section.