On a sweltering summer day as a child, I remember standing knee-deep in a sea of itchy strawberry plants with an empty bucket and my grandfather saying, “You kids are so lucky you get to pick all these beautiful strawberries!” I didn’t believe him. (So why do I now say things to my kids, like, “You kids are so lucky to get to use a fancy vacuum to clean…?” )
Back to Grandpa. He was helping my sisters and I pick strawberries from my dad’s huge patch; but we had done it so many times before and the large expanse of hidden berries was completely overwhelming.
However, the sweet fruit of my childhood labor was a strawberry dessert. Luckily, my mom never made any silly strawberry concoction like spinach strawberry salad (an adult favorite of mine!) Strawberry season was very short on our farm, so we created only desserts: Strawberry shortcake, ice cream sauce, jam and pies. And then, there were those strawberry cupcakes I got one year for my birthday: Light and pink and fluffy and perfectly sweet.
My ReDuxed version of Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes is a lovely seasonal answer to this month’s The Recipe ReDux Cupcake Conundrum – (asking if we thought the cupcake trend was still going strong or if it was time for other hand held desserts to takeover.) Clearly with this recipe, I voted cupcakes are here to stay!
While I used my classic Best Birthday Cake recipe, I decreased the portion size by using only 2-2 ½ tablespoons of batter in each cupcake…and replacing it with a fresh whole strawberry! The cupcake looked nearly full-size. But I won’t fudge the results of the appearance of the baked strawberry inside: It shriveled a bit and got rather mushy – like what happens in a baked strawberry pie. Thus, should you be serving Strawberry Cupcakes at a classy spring bridal shower, you may want to instead add chopped fresh strawberries. My kids, however loved finding a whole strawberry surprise in the center of their cupcake!
PrintStrawberry Cupcakes – The Recipe ReDux
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter or shortening (I uses 1/4 cup of each)
- 1 1/2 cup sugar (I decreased significantly from Mom’s original recipe)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use good quality vanilla!)
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/3 cup sour milk (1 1/3 tablespoon vinegar + enough 1% milk to make 1 1/3 cups)
- 30 small-medium fresh strawberries washed and dried
- FROSTING
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 ounces 1/3-reduced fat cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon beet juice for pink color
Instructions
- Place 30 paper cupcake liners in muffin pans.
- Stir together flour, powder, soda and salt; set aside.
- In large mixing bowl beat shortening/butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat till well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
- Add dry ingredients, alternately with sour milk, beating on low speed after each addition just till combined (I often use a wooden spoon because it gets less spatters around my kitchen.)
- Place 1 tablespoon batter in bottom of cupcake liner; place 1 strawberry on top. Top with 1-1 1/2 batter.
- Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not overbake! Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
- For FROSTING: Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese for 2 minutes. Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla and beet juice. Lightly frost completely cooled cupcakes
Are you a cupcake fan – or do you prefer another hand-held treat?
Liz
Tuesday 23rd of April 2013
I'm all for a smaller cupcake...especially one with a surprise berry in the middle! Yup cupcakes are here to stay...except I have to make chocolate for my youngest's birthday later this week, then I will go for berry ones :)
Serena
Thursday 25th of April 2013
Chocolate cupcakes are always a good thing!
Mary Brighton (@BrightonHealth)
Tuesday 23rd of April 2013
Your recipe and article (and pictures!) are like candy to my eyes. What a great idea-I am sure the strawberry on the inside of each cupcake was a unique complement to the cupcake. OMG-how adorable your kids are too. Continued happiness.....
Serena
Tuesday 23rd of April 2013
Thanks Mary! You are so kind. Hopefully, I can bring my kids to France and you could meet them in person...some day!
cupcake with filling
Tuesday 23rd of April 2013
hi! I am glad that you have the same idea that it's better to put fresh strawberry rather the preserved one. For me it's definitely taste different. with fresh strawberry for me it's way more delicious.
Serena
Tuesday 23rd of April 2013
Thanks so much! That means a lot coming from someone with such amazing cupcake dedication.
Amy
Monday 22nd of April 2013
These cupcakes look amazing! We were huge strawberry fans growing up, although because Mom wasn't much of a baker, we never had strawberry cupcakes. She mainly served them sliced over ice cream or dipped in chocolate. I love the idea of an entire strawberry in the center -- that makes them super healthy, right? :]
Serena
Tuesday 23rd of April 2013
Honestly, my absolute favorite way to eat strawberries is fresh...and then over ice cream! I agree with you Amy!
Jamie
Monday 22nd of April 2013
Do you have to refrigerate these when done?
Serena
Tuesday 23rd of April 2013
Yes! If they're not eaten after being made (which they were in our house for my son's 3rd birthday party) they should be refrigerated. Thanks for noting Jamie!