My daughter’s morning start with strawberries and sweetened whipped cream or redid whip or blueberries and whipped cream. If not she wants both berries in a smoothie. She loves these two berries, so I will try to stock them up when I can. I haven’t made cupcake during these summer holidays, so when she asked for it, I made this strawberry surprise cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting. She loved the pink color of the cupcakes.
I made this cupcakes also thinking of this month Daring Baker’s challenge “Surprise inside a Cake”, hosted by Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood. While searching for strawberry cupcake recipe, I found this cupcake recipe from Candace Nelson, founder of Sprinkles Cupcakes,. Their Strawberry Cupcakes with Sprinkles' Strawberry Frosting is famous one, and if you live in California, Nevada, Texas or New York you will be familiar with this shop. However, I hadn’t got a chance to visit them here at Houston. With my recipe is in hand, I decided to try it for myself. It is delicious treat, which is easy to put together. I made 8 cupcakes as my hubby will be running away from any sweet dish. My princess is always fond of frosting, and after eating the frosting she will be in a sugar overload, and hardly inclined to finish the cupcakes.
This is really delicious cupcakes which are easy to make, I changed a little bit of the recipe while making the strawberry puree and also added little lime juice. I believe adding citrus brings our flavors of other fruit very well; which is not in the original recipe? Also added cream cheese to the frosting to reduce little bit of sweetness and gives more texture to it. Otherwise strawberry puree tends to make the frosting slightly runny. I made this strawberry surprise cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese filling and frosting.
You need about ⅓cup + 3 tablespoon strawberry puree to make both cupcake and frosting. I found cupcake itself is tasty; don’t need any frosting to finish it off. However my princess thought the other way, frosting is tastier. My prince was with me and not fond of too much sweet. He is a fan of sweet dark chocolate without any add on, especially if has nuts or anything he won’t like it. He approved just simply eating the cupcake that it is delicious. If you have fresh or frozen strawberries in hand, give it a try, and you will be amazed by its taste. If you can make it in your kitchen, why need a trip to the store.
Here comes the recipe.
Delicious fresh strawberry cupcakes, with strawberry cream cheese filling and frosting.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup+1 tablespoon strawberry puree (from frozen or fresh strawberries)
- Half of one lime/lemon juice
- 1 cup (125g) all purpose flour, sifted
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon of whole milk, room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg white at room temperature
- 2-4 drops of red food gel, optional
- 8 ounce cream cheese
- 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
- Pinch of salt
- 3½ C of powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoon of strawberry puree (either from fresh or thawed frozen strawberries)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- *Frosting recipe is for 12 cupcake frosting.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line the muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- To puree the strawberries, place about 10 strawberries (you will get slightly more than amount depending about the size of strawberries) either fresh or thawed strawberries and lime/lemon juice in a food processor /blender and process until pureed. Save remaining puree for frosting or another use.
- Add flour, baking powder and salt to medium size bowl and whisk to combine.
- If you want you can combine milk, vanilla and strawberry puree in a small bowl and set aside. (I pour everything into the measuring cup that to save myself from washing an additional bowl)
- Place butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium high until light and fluffy.
- Reduce speed to medium and gradually add the eggs and egg whites. Beat until just blended.
- Turn speed of the mixer to low and strawberry puree and slowly add half of the flour. Mix until just blended.
- Then add the milk mixture and 2-4 drops of red food gel. Mix until just blended then add the remaining flour. Do not over blend or mix as that will give you a tougher crumble and heavier texture.
- Divide batter equally into the muffin cups. I use a large ice cream scoop for the regular size tins and a small/medium scoop for the mini pans.
- Bake on the middle rack. Bake the regular sized tins for 20-25 minutes and the mini ones for 11-13 minutes or until the tops are just dry to the touch. Mine is done by 20 minutes watch your oven for correct temperature. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- In a bowl of electric mixer, beat butter ,cream cheese and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually add powdered sugar. Beat until well combined.
- Add vanilla and strawberry puree and mix to combine.
- Do not over mix. The frosting should be thick and dense, almost like ice cream. If you over mix it will incorporate too much air and it will be loose and runny.
- Fill the frosting in a pastry bag.
- Make hole in the cupcakes using melon baller/ or sharp knife. Make not too deep.
- fill the cupcakes like this
- Then frost the cake so that filling is hidden.
- Enjoy
Notes
The cupcake recipes is adapted from Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes Frosting recipe is adapted fromSprinkles strawberry frosting Copyright ©2014 Zesty South Indian Kitchen by Swathi(Ambujom Saraswathy) All Rights Reserved.
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
mjskit says
What beautiful little cupcakes and I love the clever hole with frosting in the middle. Oh to be a kid again. 🙂
Reeni says
I am like your daughter - a frosting lover! I am happy to see it filling the inside too! A sweet surprise.
Gloria says
They look so cute and delish..I'm sure your kids must have enjoyed..
easyfoodsmith says
my daughter too loves strawberries and these pretty pink cupcakes will be lapped up by her for sure
Choc Chip Uru says
These cupcakes are stunning! So cute and delicious 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Winnie says
Swathi these look AMAZING
I wish I could grab one (or two) right now 🙂
jaspinder kaur says
Looks tempting and easy to make...
Smitha says
Lovely desert , looks so yummy..
Smitha says
Lovely desert , looks so yummy..
Babitha costa says
too good swathi
ramya says
delicious especially love the frosting inside the cupcakes too.yummy yummy swathi
traditionallymodernfood says
Yummy love it:-)
julie says
I too had made these long back and loved the strawberry version rather than cut fruit bits...will try next time with cream cheese frosting 🙂
She Rocks Fitness says
Oh YUMMY and perfect for summer!
beena stephy says
Cute tempting cakes
Subha says
Perfect for little girls who are so fond of cup cakes..will try to make the dairy free version of this soon as my daughter is allergic to cow's milk. Awesome clicks Swati..
Swathi says
Shubha, you can try with almond milk, that will be best tasting too.
Reni says
Looks very cute and delectable! The frosting looks yummy !nice clicks !
archana says
Amazing 🙂 Loved it 🙂 Will try for sure 🙂 It looks so tempting 🙂 Hope ur kids enjoyed it 🙂