We are having the most beautiful Monday to Friday of sunshine and now my iphone tells me we are going to have the most gloomy and cloudy Saturday and Sunday… typical right? Why can’t it be the other way around? Still, overcast weather makes for awesome food photography lighting so every cloud has a silver lining right? (No pun intended).
Also… I really need to buy a new cake stand don’t I? I am not sure how much longer I can get away with using this one with reindeers all over it!
At least the red matches the strawberries.
Speaking of which, strawberries, with balsamic vinegar… it is ah-mazing! When reduced to a glaze, the balsamic vinegar loses that sharp tang it has, and takes on a deep, rich, sweet flavour, which when drizzled over fresh strawberries is so good!
The base for this dessert is plain vanilla cupcakes. We want the toppings to do all the talking here. This cake is also the base for these lemon cupcakes and these chai cupcakes. When you find a recipe that works, you stick with it. By changing a few proportions and flavours you can create all sorts of wonderful cakes and cupcakes that you know will come out perfect every time!
I cannot wait for strawberry season to begin this year. It means that summer is officially here. There is really nothing to compare to the fresh, local strawberries. They are always the sweetest and the juiciest. If you are lucky enough to live somewhere where you can get all these fresh goodies all year round then I envy you! But hey, I do live in the land of cheese so I can’t really complain!
These cupcakes are definitely best served fresh, the whipped cream should be nice and cold or stored in the fridge until just before serving. The balsamic glaze can be stored in a squeezy bottle or container in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Whatever is not used on the cake would be perfect for topping a nice summer salad! So until the real sun arrives, whip up a batch of these cupcakes and enjoy with some friends!
Cupcakes with Fresh Cream, Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar Glaze
Ingredients
80g Unsalted Butter
280g Caster Sugar
240g All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
2 Large Eggs
1 Tsp salt
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
240 ml whole milk
Balsamic Glaze
3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Caster Sugar
Fresh Cream Topping
3-4 Fresh Strawberries
200ml Double Cream
2 Tbsp Icing Sugar
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Steps
1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a 12 hole muffin tin with large cupcake liners or muffin liners.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. This should take around 2 minutes in a stand mixer or with an electric handheld mixer.
3. Add the eggs 1 at a time a mix thoroughly until fully combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl after each addition to ensure the eggs are fully incorporated.
4. In another bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder and mix thoroughly to ensure there is an even distribution of ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the egg and butter mixture, alternating with milk until all the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl after each addition. Do not over-mix at this stage, and if you are using a standing mixer, keep it on a low speed. Stir in the vanilla extract at the end.
5. Fill the cupcake or muffin liners between 1/2 – 2/3 full. Any more and the cakes will overflow.
6. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean, and the tops of the cakes are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed. Place on a cooling rack to cool fully.
7. Chop the strawberries into small cubes and set aside for later. Put the balsamic vinegar and caster sugar in a saucepan and place on the stove on a low/medium heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Take off the heat, pour into a small squeezy bottle and allow to cool fully.
8. In another bowl, whisk the cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract until the cream is thick and is the right consistency to spoon onto the cupcake. Add a dollop to the top of each cake then use a teaspoon to create a well in the centre.
9. Add some strawberries into the well you just made, and then drizzle some balsamic glaze on top of the strawberries. Serve immediately.
Note: As the topping on these cakes is fresh cream, you should serve the decorated cakes straight away. If you want to save some, keep the un-iced cakes in an airtight container and keep the cream in the fridge. Assemble right when you need them.
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