When life gives you tomatoes, make a sandwich

3/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (I use dutch processed Droste brand)

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter a 9-inch-round cake pan and line the bottom with wax or parchment paper. Dust pan with cocoa, tapping out excess. Stir together cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition; add vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour.

Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes in pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely (bottom-side up); remove paper.

Bake cupcakes in standard muffin tin lined with paper liners for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes around 15-16 muffins.

Chocolate Glaze

Place 4 ounces chopped semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate in a medium bowl. In a saucepan, bring 1/2 cup heavy cream to a boil.

Pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Let cool and keep whisking until thick enough to spread or dip cupcakes. To speed the process, you can put it in the refrigerator, but you must watch it carefully because it will get thick pretty fast.

You want the glaze to be of a consistency so that you can pour it over the cake and spread it, too.

n Linda Marrone has been a Carson City resident since 1973, and together with her husband, Ralph, formerly operated Marrone's Restaurant in Carson City and Somethin's Cookin' Catering.