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!
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