Summery strawberry and white chocolate cupcakes
As I sit here, simmering in my sun-baked conservatory and squinting at the dusty screen, I’m really beginning to believe that summer’s in full swing. Here and there at farmers’ markets and farm shops, the glossy punnets of British strawberries are stacked up high, making it the perfect time to treat your loved ones to some pretty strawberry cupcakes.
I like this recipe as it perfectly demonstrates how easy it is to fling together your own recipes. Don’t listen to those people who say that baking is a science and everything needs to be exact. Fancy adding something to a recipe? Whop it in. If it turns out wrong, well, as my good friend Coastal Aussie said after her recent Kiwi Meringue Pie disaster, ‘it wouldn’t be fun if I didn’t experiment’.
Here, then, is the result of my own experimentation: a strawberry sponge as light and fluffy as a cloud, topped with a swirl of creamy white chocolate ganache. Pandering both to my sweet tooth and my eye for the pink and pretty.
For the cupcakes:
170g butter
170g caster sugar
6 or 7 fresh strawberries, washed and hulled (about 100g)
Squeeze of lemon
3 free range eggs
170g self raising flour
For the ganache:
200g white chocolate
Small tub double cream
First then, beat the butter and sugar together until it’s really pale and fluffy. Next you need to purée the strawberries with a squeeze of lemon. If you’re using a large blender (my stick blender with the handy little cup attachment blew up quite recently), it’s easier to blend the strawberries together with the three eggs as the volume is larger and you’ll get a smoother finish, but if you don’t mind the odd lump, you can just as easily mash them with a fork.
Add the strawberry/egg mixture to the butter and sugar fluff little by little, beating all the time. Don’t worry if it curdles – you can usually get it back by adding a tablespoon of the flour and beating it again. Keep adding until all the strawberry mixture is combined into the batter. Now just gently fold in the flour. The result is so deliciously light and fluffy, and smells so scrumptious, that you might have to give yourself a stern talking to in order to avoid eating it all right now. However, if you’re one of those strange people who are repulsed by raw cake mixture you should be fine. Weirdo.
And now, by some mystical baking magic, (and if you haven’t eaten it all) it will transpire that there is exactly enough mixture to fill 12 cupcake papers with exactly a tablespoon of mixture. Pop them in your preheated oven (oh I forgot that bit – gas 4/180 degrees. Sorry) and bake for a scant 20 minutes until the tops just spring up when pushed. Better to be slightly underdone than over, though, you want these sponges light and airy.
While the cupcakes are baking, make your white chocolate ganache. Melt a 200g bar of white chocolate in a bowl over some barely simmering water (turn the heat off when it’s bubbling). When it’s melted, allow to cool a little then whisk in a few tablespoons of double cream (every time I do this I curse the fact that I never remember to measure it). It will thicken up, then loosen again. You just want it the consistency of softened butter, I guess. Whisk it up to incorporate loads of air, then either pipe into thick swirls, or just speak generously over the cupcakes
and top with a strawberry.
Pink perfection in a paper case. Try saying that after you’ve been at the cooking sherry.
Inspiration takes many forms, however, and none better than your delicious sounding, and looking, and tasting, recipes! We must be having telepathic baking ideas because I’ve been bursting to make a strawberry shortcake; have been dreaming of it for days… and like your commenter above, I’d love to go to an actual strawberry farm to collect the berries (never done that before, but there are some farms nearby).
Now, after seeing your delectable summer strawberries and white chocolate cupcakes; my thoughts have changed from hopes and dreams..to an important plan of action !!
Gorgeous creations above, as always, dear lady…. from you, my equally gorgeous friend. Missing you!! xx
When I broke my plastic one I asked for one in a cake decorating shop and she showed me this teeny thing I could hardly get my finger through and I was like ‘no!, it needs to be massive!’, which made her go all huffy
Let me know how you get on! x
However, mine have just come out of the oven and they have all sunk. 24 of them, not 12 as you say. I cooked them for 25 mins.
I pureed my strawberries and then mixed them in with the eggs. I did everything as you said to, so where on earth did I go wrong?
I have a fan oven which could be the culprit but on 160.
Mind you, they have a lovely taste and aren’t overly sweet.
Best wishes,
Glossy