Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

 

 

 

Inspired by a recipe in the book Cupcakes, by Joanna Farrow… but I had to look further for a really great white cake batter.  I found it in The Best Bake Sale Cookbook, Ever, by Barbara Grunes.   I’ll be using it as my “go to” white cake mix from now on.  No icing here…just freshly whipped cream and beautiful strawberries.

 

This will make 24 cupcakes.

 

 

3 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 egg whites

2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup buttercup

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.

 

Sift together flour, caking soda and salt.  Set aside

 

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the sugar and the cream of tartar, and beat  until stiff, glossy peaks form.  Set aside.

 

In another large bowl,  using the electric mixer, cream the butter and the remaining 1 1/2 cup sugar until light, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.  Beat in the vanilla.   With a spatula or large wooden spoon, fold in the egg whites.

 

Fill each cupcake tin about three-fourths of the way to the top.  Bake until tops are just firm and edges are starting to turn golden, 18 to 20 minutes.   Let cool completely on a wire rack.

 

 

2 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons confectioners sugar

6 tablespoons red current jelly

16 ounces small strawberries

 

Whip the cream with the sugar until it holds soft peaks.  Set aside 6 of the smallest strawberries and slice them in half for the center of the cupcakes.  Thinly slice the remaining strawberries.  Prepare the cooled cupcakes by removing a plug from the center of each cake.  (You won’t need these again so nibble away!)  Fill the cavity with a couple of spoonfuls of whipped cream and let it spill out onto the top of the cupcake.  Flatten a bit with the back of a spoon.  Arrange the sliced strawberries around the center of the cupcake, overlapping slightly.  Then place a strawberry half in the center of each cake.  Heat the red current jelly in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons water until melted then brush over the strawberries gently to form a light glaze.  (a silicone pastry brush works really well for delicate glazing)  Store the cakes in a cool place until ready to serve.