Strawberries and Buttercream Cupcakes

The best ever strawberry cupcakes and buttercream . I made these for Michelle’s kitchen tea and I honestly think these are the nicest cupcakes I have ever tasted.  They are soft and fruity and topped with a strawberry flavoured buttercream.  Try making them with other fruit for a cupcake with a difference. I love them  with raspberries, my favorite fruit.

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart.  The actual cake is so soft it almost tastes like raw cookie dough filled with fruit.  Indulge yourself, you wont regret it.  I added strawberry jam to the buttercream to make it slightly pink and to give it more texture and flavor.  If you change to raspberries, add raspberry jam.

Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes Author: Ev Recipe type: Baking, fruit Serves: 12 Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 50 mins Originally adapted from Martha Stewart Ingredients

• 230 g sugar
• 75gms soft butter
• ½ tsp vanilla essence
• 1 large egg
• 150 g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 85ml milk
• 6-10 strawberries depending on the size
• BUTTERCREAM WITH STRAWBERRIES
• 210 g softened butter
• 5 large egg whites
• 190g sugar
• 4- 6 strawberries depending on the size
• ¼ cup chunky strawberry jam

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175ºC/350ºF.
2. Place cupcake liners in a muffin tray to support them or in silicone moulds to keep the shape.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
4. Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. I use a balloon whisk for this, it definitely creams the butter quicker.
5. Quickly beat in the egg and then the vanilla essence.
6. On low speed add the flour mixture and milk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
7. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries.
8. Pour into cupcake cases and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. You dont want these to be too brown, as it dries the mixture out, and you want it to be a soft texture.
9. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
10. STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
11. Put the egg whites and the sugar into a double boiler, and whisk constantly until the sugar has melted. Check by removing a little bit of mixture from the pot and rubbing between your fingers to see if it dissolved. This step is important to ensure that your buttercream reaches the correct consistency.
12. Remove from the heat and beat until the mixture is fluffy and white.(about 6-10minutes. Cool.
13. Add the soft butter a tablespoon at a time and beat .
14. Fold in the strawberry jam .
15. If your mixture is too thin refrigerate until needed. It will thicken up.
16. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.