Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

cherries are almost like strawberries, ok!

So enough of chocolate! For the past few receipes, I realised somehow or other, I'll incorporate some chocolate. Yes, I'm a convicted chocoloholic and I need to wean myself off it. 

(to chocolate, pretend I never said such thing!)

Well, in lieu of my parents' birthdays, both in March, they have requested something fruity and tangy. While I was brainstorming, I came across a old cartoon that is the reminiscent of my childhood. Then the wires in my head connected.

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes!

Oh, I could see it already, crumbly, fluffy, bursting with strawberries.

But then, I wanted a challenge - I wanted to create a crumbly cupcake that turned into custard once it was cold. So I store them away in the fridge without worry. I wanted strawberries to flavour the cupcake and not use any sort of extract or essence.

I was on a mission.

So, combining my expertise (which is by the way super limited) and some research, I am pleased to present an original concoction - the Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake. 

come to ma ma!

Inspiration: Food & Wine Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Makes 18 - 20 Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
• One box of strawberries (I highly recommend Korean, simply because it's slightly sour and it will give that kick in your cupcake.)

Frosting

I went on the easy route:

• 1/2 - 1 cup of Strawberry Jam
• Fresh Strawberries - 1 per cupcake

Now, down with the dirty:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Line your muffin pan with muffin or cupcake liners.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. It's the cornstarch that will freeze these babies well.

In another bowl, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and thickened. This will take about 3 minutes.

Add the butter and oil to the wet mix and beat till incorporated. Remember to scrap your bowl!

Now, add your dry ingredients and milk in 3 alternating batches. Always beat well in between. 

So it's dry - mix - milk - mix - dry - mix - milk - mix - dry - mix - milk - mix. Whew!

Using plastic wrap to cover your batter while we prepare the muffin pan.

Slice strawberries and place them at the bottom of your muffin liner. Like this:

The strawberries are going to work their way into your batter without you even knowing it. Yum!

Pour batter on top of the berry lined muffin liners. About 2/3 way is good.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. As usual, toothpick inserted should come out clean.

Let them cool before proceeding.

On cooled cupcakes

With teaspoon, gently carve out a hole on the top of your cupcake.

In that hole, either pipe or scoop some strawberry jam into the cupcake.

Insert a strawberry into the hole.

TADAH! You are done! Enjoy, you deserve it!

Posted in: cupcake, cupcakes, custard, easy, freeze, fruit, muffins, strawberries