Recipe: Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes with Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting (jumbo muffin pan)

STRAWBERRY SURPRISE CUPCAKES
"Stuff each of these cupcakes with a strawberry after baking, then hide it with frosting. When you slice the cupcakes in half, the strawberries look like hearts!"



1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup strawberry-flavored milk, at room temperature
6 strawberries, hulled
Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla.

Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the strawberry milk, beginning and ending with flour, until just combined. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Using a paring knife, cut a cone-shaped piece of cake out of the top of each cupcake (about the same size as the strawberries), stopping about 1/2-inch from the bottom. Stuff each cupcake with 1 strawberry, then cover with a small piece of the removed cake.

Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Top each with a strawberry half.

FROSTING

2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream, divided use
3 strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise

Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Transfer half of the sugar-cocoa mixture to a large bowl; add the butter and 1/4 cup heavy cream and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the remaining sugar-cocoa mixture and remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream and beat until fluffy.

Makes 6 cupcakes
Recipe copyright 2014, Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Source: Sweet: Our Best Cupcakes, Cookies, Candy, and More by Food Network Magazine