Strawberry cupcakes

Serves:

Ingredients

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup milk
• 2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed strawberries, pureed

Strawberry icing:

• 3 cups icing sugar mixture
• 150g butter, softened
• ¼ cup pureed strawberries (from the pureed strawberries above)

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake papers and set aside.

Sift together flour and baking powder in a bowl.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy then stir in vanilla. Add one egg and beat for one minute, then add the second egg and beat in again for another minute.

Add flour mixture and stir until combined. Add milk, then strawberries (reserve ¼ cup of the puree for the icing) and beat until all combined.

Fill cupcake papers 3/4 full and bake for 13-15 minutes. Stick a butter knife into a cupcake. If it comes out clean, the cupcakes are ready. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

To make icing, beat the softened butter, icing sugar and remaining strawberry puree very well on high until combined and a good creamy texture for icing. Place a little dollop of icing in the center of each cupcake and top with a small whole strawberry.

Notes:

• These are divine with fresh and frozen berries. If you’re using frozen strawberries, make sure they are completely thawed – you may need to add more icing mixture if using frozen berries as they do hold more water than the fresh ones.
• Whether you’re using fresh or frozen berries for the icing, be prepared to alter the amount of icing sugar you need to get the icing to the perfect texture.
• I got a bit carried away and piped my icing – hardly essential, but it does make the cupcakes look that little bit more special!

This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

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