Strawberry and Kiwi always seem like a good pairing to me. So when I made these delicious Kiwi Cupcakes, I knew the exact frosting I wanted to put on top.
Strawberry Cream Cheese frosting might not seem too radical, but wait until you see how this one is made – it is easy as can be.
I love kiwifruit, scooping it out of its little skin like an egg. Its unique flavor works really well in these cupcakes and tastes very fresh and light. It just takes a couple of very ripe, mashed up kiwifruit to pop into the cupcake batter. The little black seeds are flecked through the baked result which is delicious.
On to that Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting. Why I am I so excited about it? It only takes a tub of cream cheese (light versions are fine) a packet of pudding mix such as Angel Delight and some milk. That’s it. Pop the ingredients in a mixer and then into a piping bag (it’s too thick to spread) pipe the mix on to cupcakes and you are done. Easy. Plus, you could totally change the flavor depending on what pudding mix you buy – chocolate, butterscotch, banana?!
The frosting holds up well for a few days too, if kept in the fridge.
Yield: 12 Cupcakes
Cupcake Ingredients:2 ripe kiwifruits (peeled)350 grams plain flour1 teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon salt65 ml milk (I use almond)1 teaspoon vanilla extract113 grams unsalted butter, softened170 grams granulated sugar1 egg2 egg whites1 extra kiwifruit for garnishAdapted from My Edible Memories
Frosting Ingredients:1 packet Strawberry flavor pudding mix (such as Angel Delight)1 pack any cream cheese (250 grams)2-3 tablespoons milk (I used almond again)
Method:Preheat the oven to 180C. Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake tray.
In a small bowl mash the kiwifruit with a fork. Get it as smooth as possible.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl mix together the milk, kiwifruit and vanilla.
In a mixer blend together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg and egg whites and beat until combined. Add one third of the four mix and blend in. Add one half of the kiwi mix and blend in. Repeat with flour, kiwi and lastly flour.
Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or so. They will have turned golden brown and a toothpick will come out clean from the center. Allow them to cool completely before adding the frosting.
To make the frosting cream the cream cheese in a mixer with the beater attachment (not the whisk). Add the pudding mix and 2 tablespoons of milk. Beat until the mixture is smooth. If it seems a little tight, add more milk until it loosens to a pipe-able consistency. Transfer the frosting to a disposable piping bag with a nozzle of your choice and pipe onto each cupcake.
Decorate the tops with a little wedge of kiwifruit and that’s it. Light, fruity and fluffy these cupcakes will delight kids and grown-up kids alike!
And if you have any leftover kiwifruit why not give Helen, at Fuss Free Flavour's pavlova recipe a try?
