Matched: Strawberry Cupcakes

There have been a million and two strawberry cupcakes showing up in my reader lately. I knew I wanted to make these cupcakes to celebrate Alex matching but I didn't know which recipe I wanted to try. I decided on Dozen Flours' recipe but tweaked it a bit (I also halved it). I coated the cupcakes with Amaretto and I topped them with a white chocolate whipped cream. Strawberries + Amaretto + white chocolate = love. The end result was incredible. The cupcake is so light and the whipped cream makes it so refreshing. I'm not a big strawberry fruit fan and I couldn't keep my fingers off these cupcakes.
Strawberry Cupcakes
Source: Dozen Flours (whole recipe here)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
5-6 oz frozen strawberries, defrosted or fresh strawberries
1/4 cup Amaretto

Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tin with baking cups.

Chop the strawberries into tiny pieces and place in a bowl. Add one tablespoon of sugar and two tablespoons of Amaretto. Mix together and set aside.

In medium bowl, beat butter and the rest of the sugar with electric mixer for 3 minutes. It should be very pale yellow and and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and mix for 1 full minute on medium-low speed; be sure to scrape down the bowl a few times to ensure that everything is mixing together properly. Add vanilla and almond extract and mix again for 30 seconds.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, in 3 batches, starting and ending with the flour. Be sure to mix well after each addition and scrape the bowl down every so often.

Mix in the strawberries on low speed plus the strawberry juice. Scoop batter into prepared pan and bake for 21-23 minutes. The surface of the cupcakes should spring back when touched and be just a little brown. You can also test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cupcake comes out with just a few pieces of cake clinging to it. Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

While the cupcakes are still warm, coat them with the remaining two tablespoons of Amaretto.

Once cupcakes are cooled top with whipped cream. Serve and enjoy!

White Chocolate Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
2 oz white chocolate

Finely chop the chocolate and place in a small bowl.

Heat 1/4 of the heavy cream until it comes to a boil. Pour over the white chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Then, mix until all the chocolate is melted and combined with the cream.

Place the remaining cream in medium sized bowl and beat on medium speed until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Add the white chocolate mixture and continue beating on medium speed until the cream holds firm peaks.

Match Cupcake.

Love the specks of red.

Delicious.

One of many bites.