The Phoenix Crown | Queen of the Night Cupcakes
The Phoenix Crown is a slice-of-life historical fiction with a side of mystery/thriller. Ultimately it is about four women, making their way through society in 20th century San Francisco and the struggles they face because of health, race, employment, sexual identity, and societal norms. We follow two of these women in the weeks leading up to the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and the event that brings them all together in the aftermath.
Historical fiction isn’t my typical genre so while the writing style wasn’t necessarily for me I really appreciated learning more about this time period. It delves into the hardships faced by anyone who didn’t fall under the status quo. Especially calling attention to the mistreatment of the Chinese people who had moved to California to help build the railway and then were subsequently vilified when no longer needed. This aspect is horrifying and speaks to how this ill-treatment creates a cycle of poverty that not only keeps people from succeeding but punishes them for lawlessness that is born of desperation, as we have seen throughout history and still see today.
“Once, after a white customer had loudly insulted them at the laundry, she’d asked her father why he wasn’t angry. Feng shrugged. They lived among people who despised them. If they registered every offensive comment, expended emotion at every insult, they’d never manage to get on with their own lives.”
I also really appreciated the chronic migraine representation in this book. This is something that both Beth and I struggle with on a regular basis and seeing it accurately portrayed, in how much it can affect daily life, made us both feel a bit more understood.
Overall there are many important and interesting topics covered in this book and if you are a fan of historical fiction I think it is definitely worth a read!
“… four women who had come through earthquake and fire, pausing for a moment of peace as a white flower opened and softened the smoky air with its honeyed scent, a fragrance richer, deeper, more intoxicating than any rose or jasmine.”
My inspiration for this month’s recipe is the Queen of the Night flower. It holds great significance throughout the book - bonding the women together in a friendship born from shared hardship and trauma. I chose to make a light and airy chocolate cupcake to represent the dark times they travelled through, made a little lighter by their being there for each other. A filling of raspberry ganache represents the blood shed at these integral points in time, and a white flower to show how these connections can bring us back to a place of wonder and hope.
“For a brief time they forgot about the burning city, forgot the horrors they had endured. Stopped thinking about the hardships yet to come. Such beauty and grace amid so much destruction. Such a balm for their tired souls.”
Queen of the Night Cupcakes
15-18 cupcakes
Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk*
2 large eggs
Instructions
Sift flour, sugars, baking soda and salt through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside.
Place chocolate, butter and cocoa into a large bowl. Pour boiling water over. Let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Whisk in vanilla, sour cream, buttermilk and eggs until well combined. Add dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.
Spoon 1/4 cup batter into regular-sized muffin tins prepared with cupcake liners (you will need 15-18). Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Raspberry Ganache
5 oz. semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/3 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Put the chocolate and jam in a small bowl. Bring cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate and jam. Let stand 3 minutes. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature before using. If making ahead store, covered, in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave until spoonable.
Assembly
Cut out a small cone in the centre of each cupcake. Save scraps for another use, or discard. Spoon ganache into each cupcake and spread a small amount over the top to smooth it out. Refrigerate to set, if needed.
To Decorate: follow the video tutorial below. I used a firm vanilla buttercream (I like this recipe).
Hi I’m Cheri, I’ve been staying up too late reading since I was a kid hiding under the covers with a flashlight.