Description
Strawberry cardamom cupcakes blend Mediterranean spice with sweet summer fruit, creating a delicate dessert that surprises and delights. Luscious strawberry basil buttercream crowns these elegant treats, promising pure culinary bliss for anyone seeking a refined and unexpected flavor experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (532 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (255 g) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (255 g) sugar
Spices and Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (15 g) finely chopped basil
Liquid and Additional Ingredients:
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ¾ cup (177 ml) pureed strawberries
- ½ cup (118 ml) pureed strawberries
Instructions
- Meticulously prepare the oven environment by warming it to 350°F and positioning cupcake liners within the muffin tin.
- Thoroughly combine dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cardamom – in a comprehensive mixing vessel.
- Utilize a stand mixer to cream butter and sugar until the mixture achieves a luminous, airy consistency.
- Incorporate eggs individually, ensuring thorough integration after each addition.
- Create a liquid blend of milk and vanilla extract, then systematically alternate between dry mixture and milk combination while mixing at low speed.
- Gently fold pureed strawberries into the batter, ensuring uniform distribution.
- Carefully allocate batter among cupcake liners, filling each approximately three-quarters full.
- Transfer the muffin tin to the preheated oven, allowing cupcakes to bake for 20-25 minutes until they demonstrate resilient surfaces and pass the toothpick test.
- Allow cupcakes to rest momentarily in the pan, then transition to a cooling rack for complete temperature reduction.
- Construct the Swiss meringue buttercream by whisking egg whites and sugar over a water bath, maintaining consistent movement until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 160°F.
- Transfer the heated mixture to a stand mixer, whisking at medium-high velocity until robust peaks form.
- Gradually introduce butter fragments, maintaining consistent mixing until fully amalgamated.
- Incorporate finely chopped basil, continuing to whisk until peaks re-establish themselves.
- Switch to paddle attachment, cautiously blend pureed strawberries at low speed.
- Once cupcakes have thoroughly cooled, artfully apply strawberry basil buttercream.
- Elevate presentation by drizzling residual strawberry puree and adorning with delicate edible rose petals.
Notes
- Master the art of precise ingredient measurement for consistently perfect cupcakes every single time.
- Ground cardamom adds a warm, exotic spice that beautifully complements the sweet strawberry flavor, creating a sophisticated dessert experience.
- Swiss meringue buttercream requires patience and careful temperature control to achieve its silky, luxurious texture.
- Fresh strawberry puree ensures intense fruit flavor and natural moisture throughout the cupcake, preventing dryness.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent buttercream from melting and losing its delicate structure.
- Edible rose petals offer an elegant, Instagram-worthy finishing touch that elevates the presentation from simple to extraordinary.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg