Fresh Strawbery Cupcakes With Hints of Rosemary

By

Fresh Strawberries

Strawberry and rosemary are a match made in Heaven!

I went grocery shopping yesterday and found baskets of fresh strawberries stacked in the fridge! They smelled incredible! I couldn’t help myself and ended up going home with them! Of course as I strolled from there I suddenly found myself smelling a pot of rosemary and placing it in my cart without much thinking! Funny how herbs always find me!! I love herbs, and it seems that every time I am at the supermarket, I end up buying a pot of fresh herbs. I like the combination of Rosemary with strawberries and thought the two will make a refreshing cupcake. This cupcake is light, fresh and aromatic; therefore I did not want to top it with an overpowering frosting. Instead, I decided to stay on the fresh light side and go for a simple rosemary whipped cream topping. The outcome was delightful. Believe me, it is the perfect afternoon snack!

I like to cook with my children, and they love to help when I am cooking. This recipe is very child friendly, and is an excellent activity to do with your kids. They will love washing the strawberries, and picking the rosemary leaves. All you guys will need is a bowl, a wire whisk and the ingredients! I have made the cupcakes out of a one-bowl batter, to make it simple, and to have my daughter help. I have added a little pink food colouring to the batter, because she wanted to try adding colour to the batter, but you can omit the colour.

(find my article on food colouring and making your own vegan, preservative free food colours on this link)

Ingredients

Serves: 12

For the sponge

  • 275g self-raising flour
  • 225g butter, softened
  • 225g caster sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
  • 4 tbsp fresh strawberry juice

For the Rosemary Whipped Cream

  • 2 cups fresh whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp finely grated white chocolate

For Garnish

  • 6 fresh strawberries, halved lengthwise and sliced
  • fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 350F-180C. Line cupcake holes with cups, set aside.
In a large bowl, place all the sponge ingredients except strawberries and rosemary. Whisk until well blended and smooth.

Add the rosemary and chopped strawberries, fold to incorporate.

Fill the cups 3/4 full with the batter. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Remove from oven, cool completely on wire racks.

 

For Whipped Cream Topping

Place a metal bowl and the wire whisk of an electric mixer in the fridge for 30 minutes. In the chilled bowl, place the whipping cream, icing sugar, grated white chocolate and finely chopped rosemary. Whip on medium-high speed to soft peaks. Do not over whip or the cream will split.
Place ready whipping cream in a piping bag with a large star tip, and pipe a swirl over each cooled cupcake. Top each cupcake with a fanned half strawberry and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Serve cold. Store, covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.

You may also like…