Europeans serve savory cheese after a nice meal. Americans prefer something sweet and sugary. Alison Riede manages to marry the two concepts with her wildly original and surprisingly delicious cupcakes. She starts with the flavors and winds up with something that defies expectation. Recipes for salty, nutty, spicy, savory, tart, fruity, and chocolaty desserts include:

• Lemon Olive Oil Cupcakes with Sage and Sea Salt Buttercream
• Rosemary Parmesan Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting and Toasted Almonds
• Cucumber Mint Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream and Fresh...