Hello Everyone,
another weekend, another cupcake…..
This time I felt like something really sweet and fruity, so Strawberry and Cream it was.
These cupcakes are soooo easy to make but absolutely delicious!
To make approximately 12 cupcakes you will need:
For the batter (this is my base cupcake recipe):
100g Butter or Margarine at room temperature
100g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
100g Self-Raising flour
1 tsp Vanilla Extract (if you don't have Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Essence will also do the trick)
You will also need:
Some fresh strawberries
Cupcake cases of your choice
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees / 320 Fahrenheit.
Line a cupcake / muffin tray with the cupcake cases.
Give your strawberries a good wash and remove the leaves, and slice them into pieces.
Start of by mixing your butter until it gets really fluffy and light (this might take a few minutes).
Then add your caster sugar and keep beating.
Once these two ingredients are nicely combined, start adding the eggs gradually and keep mixing. If you see that your mixture is starting to curdle slightly, add a spoon full of the flour and that will fix it.
When your mixture is nice and smooth, gradually start mixing in the flour and add your Vanilla Extract. Keep mixing for another couple of minutes and you are done.
Now pour your mixture evenly into the cases and add one piece of strawberry to each. I usually press them into the mixture slightly, however, be careful not to press them in too much, because they will sink while baking and we don't want them to be just sitting a the bottom and soak the case. :-)
Then bake the cupcakes in the over for approximately 15-20 minutes. The baking time will depend on each individual oven, but the cupcakes are done when they are nice and golden, and springy to the touch.
For the cream icing I don't really go by measurements but basically by how much of a sweet tooth me and my husband are having that day.
You only need 1 tub of double/heavy cream or extra thick double cream, as much of Vanilla Extract/Essence as you like and icing sugar. That's all!
Pour your cream into a bowl, add your vanilla and some icing sugar. Then start beating. It will probably take several minutes for the mixture to become nice and thick in consistency, but the timing will depend on the type or cream you are using.
Usually I give it a little taste throughout and see if it needs more icing sugar. If it is not sweet enough for you, just keep adding more until you have achieved your perfect creamy goodness.
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, you can add your icing.
I use disposable piping bags with which you only snip off the tip and insert your nozzle. Then stand your piping bag up in a tall glass, roll down the edges and add your icing with a spatula.
The nozzle I used this time is a Wilton 1M.
Then just get piping and creative! In this instance, I added some flower decoration which I made myself about 2 days before. Please don't judge, this was my first ever attempt in making anything from flower paste!!! But I was quite happy with the outcome. :-)
Anyways, all you need to do now is enjoy!!!
Let me know if you give these cupcakes a go. I would love to hear if you liked them!
Lots of love,
Linda
