What’s plain and powdery by itself but can transform into cakes, cookies and bread with some added ingredients and imagination? Flour, of course.

National Flour Month in March calls for the celebration of the age-old kitchen staple. Whether sweet or savory, doughy or crispy, just about any baked good is made possible with this one essential ingredient. And there are many different flours today, including all-purpose, bread, cake, pastry, self-rising, whole-wheat and gluten-free.

Flour is most commonly derived from wheat. In Virginia, the majority of wheat grown is the soft red winter variety, which is milled into flour for bread, pastries, cakes and crackers. Commonwealth farmers harvested 5.61 million bushels last year, and wheat ranks 15th among the state’s top commodities, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

Honor flour’s unlimited potential by baking something new this month, like some Irish coffee cupcakes or a lemon coconut cake for treating your guests.

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

For the espresso cupcakes:

½ cup salted butter, at room temperature
1¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon espresso powder

For the buttercream:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream, at room temperature

Heat oven to 350°. Line two cupcake pans with 18 cupcake liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, and mix for an additional 2 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, vanilla bean paste and espresso powder.

Slowly alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the stand mixer—starting and ending with the dry. Mix until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

Portion the batter into the cupcake liners, filling just over ¾ of the way full.

Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the cupcakes and bake an additional 8-10 minutes or until the edges are just starting to brown and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.

Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Meanwhile, make the buttercream. Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for 10 minutes, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the vanilla and salt, and mix to combine.

Add half of the powdered sugar, and mix on low for 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining powdered sugar.

Add the Irish cream, and mix until combined. Add the heavy cream until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.

Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.


Lemon & Coconut Naked Cake

For the lemon cake:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 lemons, zested
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

For the coconut buttercream:

1 cup unsalted butter
3 cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
1-2 tablespoons coconut cream or milk
1 cup shredded coconut

Heat oven to 350°. Spray three 6-inch cake pans with baking spray or line with parchment paper, and set aside.

In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar for 2 minutes at medium speed until light and fluffy.

With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large measuring cup, combine the yogurt, zest and lemon juice.

With the mixer on low, alternate adding in the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients—starting and ending with the dry. Add a third of the dry ingredients each time. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Evenly pour the batter into the pans and bake for 35 minutes, or until the edges of the cakes are pulling away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool.

Meanwhile, make the coconut buttercream. In a clean mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the mixer. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low, gradually increasing the speed to medium.

Turn the mixer back to low speed and add the coconut extract, if using, and the coconut cream. Mix for 30 seconds until fluffy.

Stack the cakes on top of each other while evenly distributing the buttercream between each layer. Top the layered cake with leftover buttercream, and garnish with lemon slices, edible flowers and blueberries.

—Recipes adapted from The American Egg Board.