Here’s an antidote to those super-sized, super-sweet cupcakes that are all the rage. Each of these mini cupcakes contains just 80 calories and 2 grams of fat — with numbers like that, even two wouldn’t be much of an indulgence.

Fresh peaches add their powerful fragrance and flavor to the batter and frosting. Make sure the peaches are completely ripe, or the results won’t be what they should. Ripe peaches are soft and smell great, so don’t be afraid to sniff. Color is a less reliable indicator of ripeness, because it can vary according to variety.

If you buy peaches that aren’t all the way down the road to ripeness, you can hurry their journey by placing them in a brown paper bag. Check them a couple of times a day, because once they start to ripen, they will ripen fast.

Diced fresh peaches also serve as a garnish, so these cupcakes need to be eaten immediately. Otherwise, you might want to skip the garnish or substitute toasted chopped almonds.

Mini Vanilla-Almond Peach Cupcakes With Fresh Peach Frosting

Yield: 36 cupcakes

For cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup low-fat milk, divided
1 fresh peach, pitted and diced

For frosting:
1 fresh peach, halved
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Tiny mint leaves (optional garnish)

To prepare cupcakes: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 36 mini muffin tins with paper wrappers; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Gradually add sugar; beat for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add eggs and extracts, beating well after each addition. Stir in half the dry ingredients, then half the milk; repeat and mix until well combined. Stir in diced peaches.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins (they will be very full). Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in tins for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

To prepare frosting: Peel and mash or puree half the peach. Beat butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in 1 1/2 tablespoons peach puree and vanilla, beating for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, adding more peach puree if a thinner consistency is desired. Spread equal amounts over each cupcake. Dice remaining peach half and sprinkle over cupcakes. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired. Serve immediately.

Per cupcake: 80 calories, 1g protein, 16g carbohydrate, 2g total fat, 15mg cholesterol, 85mg sodium, 0g fiber.

Recipe and photo courtesy of the California Fruit Tree Agreement, eatcaliforniafruit.com.