These strawberry cupcakes break the one rule I have when it comes to dessert: must contain chocolate. So, you have to trust me when there is a non-chocolate dessert on the blog: it just has to be as appealing and delicious as its chocolate counter part. These precious pink cupcakes, while time consuming, make you feel like you are sitting next to Strawberry Shortcake at afternoon tea. We use real strawberries and strawberry puree to enhance the strawberry flavor and these were equally as satisfying gluten-free. While I made them for my Spiderman loving four year old’s family birthday party, they’d be great as a baby shower treat or Mother’s Day dessert or breakfast in bed, slathered in butter instead of frosting. Your choice, but choose them.
A few tips:
Cake flour really helps to make the cupcakes light and fluffy. I used Gluten-Free Mama’s almond flour
and it worked great for my GF hubby’s cupcakes. To make the strawberry puree, just throw washed, stemmed and dried strawberries in the blender and puree. I found that about 1 cup of strawberries yielded about 1/3 cup of puree. Save time by pureeing the strawberries for both the cupcakes and the frosting. You can use a few drops of red food coloring if you want the cupcakes darker pink, but I liked the natural feel of the light pink cupcakes.
Makes 12 cupcakes
Cupcakes
1 2/3 cup cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup fresh strawberry puree
1/4 cup buttermilk (You can use the vinegar and milk trick here)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup diced strawberries (dice into about 1/4-inch pieces)
Whole strawberries for topping (about 1/2 pound small strawberries)
Frosting
1/2 cup + 2 tablesoons strawberry puree
3/4 salted butter, nearly at room temperature
2 1/2 – 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350º. Line muffin pan with 12 muffin liners. In a mixing bowl combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached, place the butter and the granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until combined. Use a rubber spatula around the bowl to ensure the batter is uniform. Add the egg whites and beat until combined and again use a rubber spatula to ensure the batter is uniform. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla and strawberry puree. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture to the batter. Mix until combined and then repeat. End with the remaining flour mixture. Gently fold in the 3/4 cup of diced strawberries.
Divide the batter amongst the 12 paper lined muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool.
When the cupcakes are cool to the touch, make the frosting. First put the strawberry puree in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until the puree is reduced by half. Put the puree in a small bowl and place in the freezer so it can cool.
In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the 3/4 cup salted butter. Beat until the butter is light and fluffy. Add about 1 cup of the powdered sugar and mix on low until the powder sugar is incorporated. Add the strawberry puree and vanilla and beat on low speed until incorporated. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix on medium-low until there are no white streaks.
Frost the cupcakes and enjoy!
Recipe from Cooking Classy
- Cupcakes
- 1⅔ cup cake flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg whites
- ⅓ cup fresh strawberry puree
- ¼ cup buttermilk (You can use the vinegar and milk trick here)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup diced strawberries (dice into about ¼-inch pieces)
- Diced and whole strawberries for topping (about 1 pound small strawberries)
- Frosting
- ½ cup + 2 tablesoons strawberry puree
- ¾ salted butter, nearly at room temperature
- 2½ - 2¾ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line muffin pan with 12 muffin liners. In a mixing bowl combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached, place the butter and the granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until combined. Use a rubber spatula around the bowl to ensure the batter is uniform. Add the egg whites and beat until combined and again use a rubber spatula to ensure the batter is uniform. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla and strawberry puree. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture, then ½ of the buttermilk mixture to the batter. Mix until combined and then repeat. End with the remaining flour mixture. Gently fold in the ¾ cup of diced strawberries.
- Divide the batter amongst the 12 paper lined muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool.
- When the cupcakes are cool to the touch, make the frosting. First put the strawberry puree in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until the puree is reduced by half. Put the puree in a small bowl and place in the freezer so it can cool.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the ¾ cup salted butter. Beat until the butter is light and fluffy. Add about 1 cup of the powdered sugar and mix on low until the powder sugar is incorporated. Add the strawberry puree and vanilla and beat on low speed until incorporated. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix on medium-low until there are no white streaks.
- Frost the cupcakes and enjoy!