these small batch strawberry cupcakes are made from a light, airy and buttery strawberry cake. topped with sweet and tart strawberry buttercream frosting. they are perfect for a small summer celebration or as a "just because" weekday treat.
1cfresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled and halved this will be reduced down to ½ c puree and reduced further to ¼ c once cooked
small batch strawberry cupcakes
⅔ c (90g)cake flour see notes for DIY version
1tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ c (100g)granulated or superfine sugar
zest of one lime
¼ tsp rose water, optional up to ½ teaspoon if you like!
4tbsp (57g)unsalted butter, room temperature
1(45g)large egg white, room temperature
3tbsp (45g)sour cream or greek yogurt, room temperature
3tbsp (45ml)whole milk, room temperature
¼ c (59ml)reduced strawberry puree, room temperature
strawberry mascarpone buttercream frosting
½ c (12g)freeze dried strawberries, reduced into strawberry powder
6oz. mascarpone cheese, room temperature
6tbsp (85g)unsalted butter, room temperature
2- 2 ½ c (150-212g)confectioners (powdered sugar), sifted
½ tsp vanilla extract
2-4 tsp (10-20ml)milk as needed
pinch of salt
freeze dried berries for dusting on top, optional
Instructions
reduced strawberry puree
Place prepared strawberries into a food processor. Blend/process until the berries are reduced to a liquid. Pour the strawberries into a medium sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until reduced by half (¼ c), about 25-30 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 20-30 minutes before using in the recipe.
small batch strawberry cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350F (177C). Line a standard 6 or 12 ct. muffin pan with 6 cupcake liners. Set aside 1-2 more in case of extras. Set the pan aside.
Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt together. Whisk together until well combined. Set aside.
Pour the sugar into a large mixing bowl. Zest the lime straight into the sugar. Add rose water and vanilla extract into the sugar. Using your hands or the whisk attachment, rub the sugar and flavorings together until a wet sand like texture appears.
Add the evenly cubed room temperature butter to the sugar. Beat butter and flavored sugar together on high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the egg white. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl along the sides and bottom.
Beat in the sour cream or yogurt until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl and beat all wet ingredients on medium high an additional 30 seconds.
Sift in ½ of the dry ingreidents into the wet. Stir by hand or on the lowest setting on the mixer until just combined. Add in the milk. Stir until just combined. Add in the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, with a few flour streaks still visible. Add in the cooled reduced strawberry puree. Stir on the lowest setting until combined.
Using a medium (2tbsp) cookie scoop, scoop even amount of cake batter into each of the lined muffin wells up to ⅔ full. If there is a lot of extra batter, line 1-2 more muffin wells with a cupcake liner. If there is just a little batter remaining, distribute evenly in all the filled cupcakes.
Bake in the center of the oven at 350 F/ 177C for 20-22 minutes. The center of the cake should bounce back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Remove the cupcakes and cool an additional 30 minutes on the cooling rack until room temperature. Top with strawberry buttercream or enjoy as is!
strawberry mascarpone buttercream frosting
Process the freeze dried berries into a fine powder. Set aside.
Using a paddle attachment, beat the evenly cubed butter until light and fluffy. Add in the mascarpone. On the lowest setting, beat both together until combined. Go slow and stop frequently to scrape down the paddle and bowl. Once the butter and mascarpone are smooth and well combined, add 1 c sifted powdered sugar, strawberry powder, vanilla extract, 2 teaspoon milk and salt. Beat on low to combine. Once mostly combined, add ½ c sugar at a time until all the sugar has been added. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl. Beat on high until smooth and creamy. Add 1-2 teaspoon more milk if needed.
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Crush more freeze dried strawberries on top or top with one fresh strawberry for each cupcake.
Notes
diy cake flour: for 1 c (120-125g) cake flour, remove 2 tablespoon (15g) all purpose flour from the 1 c all purpose flour. replace the 2 tablespoon with an equal amount of corn starch. sift the new mixture together 3-4 times to fully blend together.
since this recipe calls for ⅔, you can follow the above mentioned method with some flour leftover or you can scoop 4 teaspoons of cornstarch into a measuring cup. add all purpose flour leveled to the top to make ⅔ c using the spoon and level method. sift together 3-4 times. follow the remainder of the recipe as written.
Keyword small batch baking, small batch cupcakes, strawberry and rose water, strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream
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