Almond and Strawberry Cupcakes

Bakingyummies

Patience is like Cupcakes..... You can never have enough.
                                                                                                                                          - Twitter




I really look forward to strawberry season as I just love using them in baking. I buy at least ten pounds, some of it I use for baking and the rest, I just freeze to be used later for ice creams, jams and pound cake.
Unfortunately, frozen strawberries don't work well in baking, they become mushy, watery and lose most of their flavor. So every year I wait for December when the markets are full with these pretty pink, juicy and delicious berries. How can a baker resist using them? :)


The combination of almonds and strawberry is plain delicious. You'll find a lot of recipes on the Internet that use almond extract for almond flavor. You can do that as well but why do you want to? I mean it's not that hard to get ground almonds and even if it is, you can always ground whole almonds at home (like I do). It just takes a couple of seconds in the food processor.
Do you know that the skin of almonds has as much Vitamin E as the almonds themselves? So don't bother to blanch them before grounding. See? you've added nutrition and you've saved some time as well.


Besides, the most important thing is that almond extract cannot substitute the nutty texture, the biteness and the taste that ground almonds so wonderfully impart to the baked goods. Though, you can always use almond extract in addition to the ground almonds for added flavor, like I've done in this recipe.


Haven't I mentioned before how I always seem to have Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream in my freezer? :) So how could I not frost it on these pretty cupcakes? I anyways feel something is missing unless I don't frost my cupcakes....it's like a sky without the stars (during the night, obviously) or whatever, you got the point. Right? Add a few slices of freshly cut strawberries and some flaked almonds and you are ready to dive in!


Makes 10 Cupcakes

Recipe Source: Bakingyummies

Ingredients
For Cupcakes
110 grams / 4 ounces all purpose or plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon regular salt
25 grams / 1 ounces ground almonds
75 grams / 2.5 ounces unsalted butter a little cold
140 grams / 5 ounces caster or superfine sugar
1 to 2 drops almond extract, optional
1 large egg at room temperature
1/3 cup milk at room temperature
100 grams / 3.5 ounces chopped fresh strawberries (finely or coarsely chopped is your choice)

For the Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe, please click here.

Few slices of freshly cut strawberries and few flaked almond slivers for decoration, optional.

Method
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C / 350 degrees F. Line a standard sized muffin pan with paper liners.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Mix thoroughly with a hand held whisk to distribute all the ingredients. Add the ground almonds and mix again.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and on medium-high speed, or using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light, pale and fluffy about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the almond extract if using and mix. Reduce the mixer speed to minimum. Add the egg and mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as and when needed.

Add the flour mixture in three batches alternating with the milk (you need to start and end with the flour mixture). Fold in the chopped strawberries by hand.

Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups and bake in the preheated oven until a cake tester or a wooden skewer comes out with a few dry crumbs attached to it, about 15 minutes.

Place the muffin pan on a wire rack to cool and after about 5 mins or as soon as you can handle them, remove the cupcakes from the pan and place them on the wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Decorate them with the Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream in whichever fashion you like. Top with few thinly sliced strawberries and flaked almonds.

Storage Suggestions: Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored overnight in airtight containers, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to a month. Frosted cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Happy Baking!!!




6 comments

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you Dina and yes they really taste yummy especially with the frosting.

      Delete
  2. What are the calories on one cupcake?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sorry Maria, I kind of don't get into the calories part with my food, so I can't give you even a rough estimate about it. Sorry :(

      Delete
  3. you are motivation for me. :)

    ReplyDelete

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