Easy peasy melon squeezy.

As a kid, I loved Regent's snack cakes. Filipino kids are quite acquainted to Regent's baked goods, especially their snack cakes as they are popular school snacks. They're these individually packed, no filling simple sponge cakes that are available in different flavors like mocha, ube, strawberry, pandan, and melon. It's such a great snack to bring to school because they're quite filling, at least compared to chips and crackers, plus they're mess free to eat too. 

I personally love the melon cake up to this day. I like how the melon flavor pops and that it tastes less chemical-y than the other cakes. Other than melon, I like the mocha and strawberry cakes but my first pick will always be melon. The melon cake is actually my inspo for today's baked good. I finally, finally did it: I recreated my favorite childhood snack. Yay!

Now I know melon isn't for everyone but I urge you to try it. It's a nice change from the usual chocolate/vanilla/gingerbread flavors, you know? Now this recipe is a base recipe for the cupcakes. I didn't include any frosting because 1). I don't really put frosting on most things I bake, and 2). I'm staying away from extra calories. But if you do want to ice these, I recommend a simple buttercream or a melon flavored buttercream. If you can't be bothered, a light dusting of powdered sugar will do the trick.

Melon Cuppies

(adapted from Foodie19.blogspot.com)

Yield: 24 mini cupcakes or 12 regular cupcakes

1 cup + 4 tsp all purpose flour (sifted before measured)

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

⅛ tsp salt (make it ¼ tsp if using unsalted butter)

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup butter (I used salted), softened

1 egg, room temp

½ cup buttermilk

1 tbsp melon flavoring

½ tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat your oven at 350F. Line 2 mini muffin pans with cupcake liners.

2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Combine buttermilk and melon flavoring. Set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

5. Add egg and vanilla and beat until just combined.

6. Alternate adding the flour mix and the buttermilk mix to the butter-egg mix. Start with a thrid of the flour mix, followed by half of the buttermilk mix. Continue until everything is well combined.

7. Scoop mixture into the lined muffin pan slots and bake for 18-20 minutes until the cupcakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8. Let cool for a couple of minutes.