Happy New Year!!! I hope you all ringed in the New Year with much love and happiness surrounding you! I was where I usually am, surrounded by a wonderful group of friends eating delicious food and enjoying some sweet treats. This year those treats were Strawberry Cupcakes with Champagne Frosting; you really can’t get more festive than strawberries and champagne. And the two go together wonderfully!
To create these cupcakes I began by pureeing strawberries…
I then combined the pureed strawberries with whole milk and vanilla extract. In another bowl I whisked together flour, baking powder and salt.
Next, in the bowl of my stand mixer I creamed room temperature butter until it was light and fluffy. Following that I gradually added in a cup of sugar. And finally I added in 1 egg and 2 egg whites.
With the mixer on low I added in half of the flour mixture, then all of the strawberry mixture and then the other half of the flour mixture. I mixed it until it was just combined and then finished mixing it by hand using a rubber spatula so I wouldn’t accidentally overbeat the batter.
After dividing the batter evenly among a paper lined muffin tin I placed it in a 350 F preheated oven.
And after 20 minutes the cupcakes were ready to come out of the oven and be transferred to a wire rack to cool completely.
Then it was on to the frosting… Using Sweet Rose Champagne I made a Champagne Buttercream Frosting,
That I then piped onto the cupcakes.
While these cupcakes were on the sweeter side they were delicious nonetheless. So, what are you all hoping to accomplish this New Year? As for me, I am not one to make resolutions, I just hope – as we all do – for a year that is just as good as or better than the previous one. And to continue to grow to be a better version of my younger myself.
Sprinkles’ Strawberry Cupcakes
Yields 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 large egg white, room temperature
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
5. With the mixer of low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin tins. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.
Champagne Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 tablespoons champagne (I used a Sparkling Rose)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
In a large bowl beat the butter with a handheld mixer on medium until it’s creamy. Reduce the speed to low and add 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until combined. Then add in the champagne and vanilla and increase the speed to medium and continue beating until all the ingredients are incorporated. Once again reduce the speed to low and gradually add in the remaining sugar and beat until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
Bead Yarn & Spatula 