White Cupcakes with Strawberry Puree Buttercream

I'm not sure what is the fascination over strawberries...but as far as I can recall, since a tiny lil girl (and probably with many other lil girls) - I was always super happy when offered a strawberry or anything with it like strawberry ice cream, strawberry layered cake, strawberry popsicles, hell, even my first lip gloss was strawberry flavoured! Then as you get older, strawberries in champagne, strawberries coated with thick melted chocolate, picking strawberries from a farm...

Speaking of strawberry farms, wouldn't that be the greatest thing? Have your own strawberry farm, pluck your own strawberries and eat all you want...

With spring/summer approaching, those lucky farmers are out and selling their fruits and greens! I love love love these outdoor markets. I don't care that the weather still kinda feels like winter, with these farmers parading their fruits out like that, I believe it is spring/summer! And one huge box of huge, fresh and sweet strawberries for 2 bucks? Me love farmers and their farms.

So this week, I baked a simple white cupcake that you can never go wrong with, it is simple but yet still so tasty and moist. Top that off with strawberry buttercream - but wait, not any normal kind of strawberry buttercream, this actually is made out of fresh strawberries! Instead of using artificial flavouring or jam, I am using a puree. It makes all the difference, you can taste and smell the freshness!

White Cupcakes with Strawberry Puree Buttercream

(bakes 12 cupcakes)

White cupcakes:

- 1 3/4 cups cake flour

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter

- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar

- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar

- 2 egg yolks

- 2 egg whites

- 1/2 cup milk

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Strawberry puree buttercream:

- 2 sticks unsalted butter

- 1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

- 1/4 cup strawberry puree (approx. 4-6 fresh strawberries)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tray with paper liners.

2. Sift and whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In another bowl, cream the butter until smooth.

4. Beat in 3/4 cup sugar until fluffy.

5. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla extract.

6. Mix in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk (flour - milk - flour - milk - flour), mixing well after each addition.

7. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy.

8. Add the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks form.

9. Then whisk in 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form.

10. With a rubber spatula, fold in 1/3 of the egg whites mixture. When there aren't anymore white streaks, fold in the remaining egg whites mixture (try not to overmix, or it will deflate the batter).

11. Scoop the batter into the paper liners filling them 2/3 full.

12. Bake for 18 - 20 mins, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack for about 20 mins before you frost them.

13. Strawberry puree buttercream: Chop about 4-6 strawberries into small cubes.

14. In a food processor, pulse them for about 1-2 mins until you achieve a puree texture.

15. Cream the butter until smooth.

16. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat on medium to high speed for 4-5 mins.

17. Add the strawberry puree and beat for another 2 mins.

18. Fill a pastry bag fitted with the nozzle of your choice and frost your cupcakes!

Cinnamon Rolls

What's better than waking up to a warm bun that's rolled up with ground cinnamon, sugar and butter? I can't think of a better way.

Since I discovered that baking with yeast is more fun than scary, I have been looking up all sorts of bread recipes that I can bake and keep for breakfast throughout the weekend. And cinnamon rolls are just the yummiest!

This time round, I definitely baked with yeast better. The dough actually doubled in size when it was left to rise and I did all the essential kneading, punching, waiting and rising! I am getting the hang of it and I still cannot get over how fun playing with dough is! And watching the dough actually double in size is just crazy! It was almost like magic in the kitchen.

Cinnamon Rolls

(bakes 8 rolls)

Rolls:

- 1 cup milk

- 1/3 cup unsalted butter

- 1/3 cup white granulated sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 4 1/2 - 5 cups flour

- 1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast

- 3 eggs

- 1 tablespoon half and half (light cream)

Cinnamon filling:

- 3/4 cup light brown sugar

- 1/4 cup flour

- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold and cut into small cubes)

1. Rolls: Heat the milk, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan until the butter melts. Let it come to a temperature of 120 - 130 degrees F.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups flour with the active dry yeast.

3. Once the milk mixture is of the right temperature, gradually pour it into the flour mixture and beat well.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.

5. With a rubber spatula or a dough hook, mix in 2 1/4 - 2 3/4 cups of flour until the dough comes together. The turn it out onto a floured surface and knead the dough for 5 mins.

6. Butter a bowl and place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides of the dough. Then cover it with plastic wrap and leave it for 1 1/2 hours, until it doubles in size. (This is the magical part I am so crazy about - my dough actually ballooned!)

7. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down just a few times. Cover it loosely with a towel and let it rest for 10 mins.

8. Cinnamon filling: While waiting for the dough to be ready, combine the ground cinnamon, light brown sugar and flour, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (erm, I had huge issues getting the coarse crumbs so I ended up with a rather smooth mixture and it still worked!)

9. When the dough is ready, roll it out to a 12 inch square.

10. Sprinkle the crumbs onto the square (or in my case, I spread the cinnamon mixture).

11. Roll up the dough into a log and pinch the sides to seal it.

12. Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan and slice the log carefully into 8, then place them in the pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour, until it doubles in size. (Again, magic!)

13. Brush the tops of the rolls with half and half (light cream).

14. Bake in an oven for 375 degrees F for 25 to 30 mins. When it is ready, the tops will be brown and when you tap on the rolls, it will make a hollow sound.

I'm not too happy about my cinnamon filling because the fact that I didn't manage to achieve the right texture, I think it compromised the way my cinnamon rolls look. But safe to say, the taste of it is still very appetizing!

Lemon Blueberry Cake

There are 2 kinda fruits that I love baking with - apples and blueberries. I will also eat any baked goods with apples and blueberries. Besides, apples keep the doctor away and blueberries are one of those super fruits right? So having them in your cake has gotta be good for the body!

When I came across this recipe I was ready to have a slice right there and then. Blueberries and a hint of lemon? Gimme gimme gimme! Lemon brings out the best flava of any fruit it is paired with. The recipe calls for some lemon zest and a lovely sour-sweet lemon glaze poured over the loaf of cake.

I am a little unhappy that the blueberries sank to the bottom of the cake. I still don't understand why this happened because it has never happened to my many times of baking with blueberries! Somebody explain to me pls? Oh well, still the cake was extremely tasty, it was bursting with blueberries and laced with lemon zest.

This is the perfect excuse for a sweet breakfast! This definitely beats cereal any day. Hell, I can even have this for breakfast and tea break!

Lemon Blueberry Cake

(bakes 1 loaf)

- 1 1/2 cups flour

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 tablespoon lemon zest

- 1/2 cup milk

- 1 cup fresh blueberries

Lemon glaze

- 2 tablespoons lemon juice

- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and the sides of a 9 inch loaf pan.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In another bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Then add in the sugar and beat till light and fluffy.

4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

5. Beat in the flour in three additions alternating with milk (flour - milk - flour - milk - flour). Beat well after each addition.

6. Fold in the blueberries gently.

7. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

8. Bake for 55 - 60 mins, until the top is golden brown and when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

9. Lemon glaze: Heat the sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves.

10. When the cake is fresh out of the oven, prick the top with a toothpick all over and brush it with the lemon glaze. Let it cool in the loaf pan for 30 mins before turning it out on a wire rack to cool completely.

Just remember - be careful to pick the freshest blueberries! Happy baking!