FAIRWINDS FARM, BOWDOINHAM, MAINE
Strawberries & Cream Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS:
1 DAY AHEAD combine ingredients of:
- 2-3 cups chopped strawberries
- 6 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Place strawberries and sugar in a small pot over using low heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring often, and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir water and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into the strawberry mixture, cook until thickened. Remove pot from heat, stir in lemon juice. Pour mixture into a bowl, and place in fridge for 4 hours or overnight
For the cupcakes:
- 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/cup unsalted softened butter
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 x egg whites
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 /4 teaspoon almond extract
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup milk
For the topping and filling:
- 2oz plain cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a liner in each cupcake pan.
Cupcakes: Mix flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg. Mix in butter, oil, 1 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites, vanilla, and almond extract, and mix well. Add sour cream and milk. Add the remaining flour mixture.
Pour batter into cupcake pans, filling each liner no more than 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely, for about 30 minutes. Place cupcakes in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
Cream cheese whipped cream: Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt together until smooth. Add 1/2 cup cold heavy cream and mix on low until mixture is smooth. Add in remaining heavy cream mixing on medium-high until the mixture holds stiff peaks. If desired, add mixture into a piping bag and place into refrigerator until ready to use.
Remove the cupcakes from the refrigerator. You can keep or remove the liners and cut tops off cupcakes. Pipe a layer of whipped cream on the bottom half of the cupcakes, top with about 1 to 2 teaspoons strawberry mixture. Place tops of cupcakes back on. Pipe more whipped cream on top of cupcakes and top with another 1 to 2 teaspoons strawberry mixture.
VOILA!
