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Strawberries
• 2 cups chopped strawberries
• 6 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, or to taste
Cupcakes
• 1 ⅔ cups cake flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ⅔ cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup 2% milk, at room temperature
Filling and Topping
• 2 ounces full-fat cream cheese, chilled
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- Strawberries: Place strawberries and sugar in a small pot over medium-low heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring often, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir cornstarch and water together in a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir cornstarch mixture into the strawberry mixture, and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat, and stir in lemon zest and lemon juice. Pour mixture into a heat safe bowl, and place uncovered into the fridge to chill.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line 2 cupcake pans with liners.
- Cupcakes: Sift together cake flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg.
Beat butter, oil, and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add in egg whites, vanilla, and almond extract, and beat mixture on medium-high speed for another 3 minutes. Add in half of flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add in sour cream and milk; mix until just combined. Add in remaining flour mixture; mix until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared cupcake pans, filling each liner no more than ⅔ full. Bake one pan at a time, until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched, 22 to 26 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Chill cupcakes in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
- Cream cheese whipped cream: Beat chilled cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt together until smooth. Add in ½ cup cold heavy cream, and mix on low until mixture is smooth. Add in remaining heavy cream; beat on medium-high until mixture holds stiff peaks. If desired, place mixture into a piping bag fitted with an open star tip. Place piping bag in refrigerator until ready to use.
- Remove cupcakes from refrigerator. Remove the liners and cut tops off cupcakes. Pipe a layer of whipped cream on bottom half of cupcakes; top with about 1 to 2 teaspoons strawberry mixture. Place tops of cupcakes back on, and lightly press down to adhere. Pipe more whipped cream on top of cupcakes and top with another 1 to 2 teaspoons strawberry mixture. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
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