Strawberry Balsamic Cupcakes with a Basil Buttercream!

If you bake it, it will come. Spring that is! Here is another spring inspired dessert, just willing it to be here! Patience is not one of my many virtues! We are just two weeks into March, some good days thrown in and some not so good days. Kind of like life, huh? Any who, what was that saying we learned in school? March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb? Well here’s hoping we get that lamb these last couple weeks of March!!

Well, we are just plugging along here in 2018, warm weather is in our sites! It’s already St. Patty’s day next weekend. I have a fun treat to share with you then that allows you to pass a breathalyzer!! Anyway, I am getting antsy for Spring, like most mid-westerners are at this point. So, my solution to that is to eat and bake Spring flavors!!! Does anyone else remember that one March a few years ago that it was basically summer? It was around 80 degrees for days! Well here’s hoping we have a repeat of that.

Strawberries are one of my favs and they are coming into season now and are perfect in Spring and Summer desserts. These cupcakes are an elevated take on basic strawberry cupcakes. The combo of the roasted strawberries in the cake, combined with the balsamic reduction and the basil infused buttercream are a match made in heaven. These are perfect for any time but are a beautiful dessert to have at your next fancy function.

They do take a little prep, because I like to roast the fresh strawberries and infuse my basil into the butter that will be the buttercream. So, plan accordingly! But it is totally worth the extra steps! Don’t go overboard with the basil either. I made that mistake the first time, thinking that it wasn’t enough and kept adding more. Well it was too much! Overpowered the frosting and what you are looking for is subtle basil flavor.

Hulled and ready for roasting!

Then you are left with a beautiful dessert with amazing flavor combinations that elicit spring and summer in every mouthwatering bite!

 Enjoy!

Diane

Strawberry Cupcakes with a Basil Buttercream!

 

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Prep time

90 mins

Cook time

16 mins

Total time

1 hour 46 mins

 

This deliciously sophisticated strawberry cupcakes combine flavors perfectly. The light cupcake with roasted strawberries and hint of balsamic are divine. The creamy basil buttercream, rounds out this delectable treat amazingly.

Author: Diane

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• 2 cups cake flower
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 16 oz. hulled strawberries
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• ½ cup milk whole - room temp
• 3 egg whites
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter – room temp
• ¼ cup Mascarpone – room temp
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar reduction
• Basil Buttercream:
• 4 to 5 fresh basil leaves
• 8 oz. mascarpone
• 1 cup butter ( 2 sticks) melted
• 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
• 3-5 tbsp. of heavy cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
2. Hull the strawberries and toss with corn syrup. Spread out over the baking sheet into a single layer. Roast for about a 1 hour to hour and half. Strawberries will be deep in color and shrink in size with their juices running. Once done place strawberries and the syrup from their juices into a bowl to cool and set aside.
3. Heat the balsamic vinegar of over medium heat until reduced to ¼ cup. About 15 minutes. Should be syrupy consistency. Or store bought will be just as good.
4. Using a potato masher, mash up the strawberries until the large chunks are gone and jam like consistency. Add the reduced balsamic to the strawberries and stir to combine. Strain through fine mesh strainer. Set aside.
5. Line a 12-cupcake pan with liners and set aside. Increase oven temp to 350 degrees.
6. In a medium sized bowl combine the flower, salt, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
7. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the soften butter until light and creamy about 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Add the sugar and continue to cream until light and airy about 5 minutes.
9. Add the egg whites one at time and beat well after each addition. Add in the vanilla.
10. Next beat in the mascarpone and beat until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Slowly add in half of the dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the whole milk, scrape down sides of bowl. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined don’t overmix.
11. Take a 1 cup of the balsamic/strawberry mixture and gently stir into the batter.
12. Fill each of the cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full. Place in the oven on middle rack. Bake for about 16 to 18 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove to cool on wire racks in pan for 10 minutes, remove from pan and allow to cool completely on racks.
13. For the Buttercream:
14. In a medium sauce pan muddle the basil leaves. Add in the butter and heat until melted, bring to just a boil stirring. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat allow basil to steep in butter for about 10 minutes. Strain into bowl. Place in freezer for about 10 minutes until firmed slightly but still soft.
15. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment add the butter and mascarpone and combine until fully incorporated and light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract. Slowly add in the powdered sugar one cup at time. Add in the cream until you have reached your desired consistency.
16. Frost cooled cupcakes and top with a strawberry and basil leaf.

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