strawberry shortcake cupcakes.

the other day, the kind fruit lady gave my mom 2 huge punnets of long stem strawberries.
My mom keeps on ranting about how "we need to clear the fridge" (as though it might explode any moment),
and since it always makes my dad happy when i use herbs from his garden,
i decided to make strawberry cupcakes.
making them made me feel so girly, back to when i was 6 and crazy over the cartoon "strawberry shortcake".


strawberry shortcake cupcakes

makes 17 cupcakes.

Ingredients
90g white chocolate (coarsely chopped)
1/3 cup milk
1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/3 cup (90g) unsalted butter (softened)
3/4 cup sugar (reduce if icing cupcakes)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup strawberry puree
1/2 cup strawberries roughly chopped
extra strawberries, mint leaves, icing sugar and jam to decorate

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees and line the muffin trays with paper liners.

2. Melt in chocolate and milk in the microwave on mediun for 2 minutes. stir until all the chocolate dissolves and leave to cool.

3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Use a whisk to break up lumps and stir.

4. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in another bowl on high speed until pale and creamy.

5. Add in the eggs one at the time, beating until just blended after each addition.

6. With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients and chocolate mixture until just incorporated.

7. Fold in the strawberry puree and strawberry pieces by hand.

8. Fill the cupcake cases to about 3/4 full and bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.

9. Let the cupcakes cool completely before topping off with mint leaf and strawberry slice. Lightly brush strawberries with diluted strawberry jam and dust with icing sugar.