Monday 4 June 2012

Jubilee Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes



Yes it's another Jubilee bake - I can't help it! My street had a street party today so I got up early to bake these little treats for my neighbours. It's my first street party and I've never seen anything quite like it. There's a lovely community atmosphere. It looks extremely festive with all the bunting and fancy dress. There's food, drinks, games, raffles, prizes... a really fun day! My cupcakes went down a treat and they disappeared within the first 15 minutes!! 

The cupcakes have fresh strawberries in the batter which give them a lovely juicy, moist flavour. It has a strawberry jam centre, finished with a vanilla buttercream and a fresh strawberry slice. I especially liked the Lakeland 'It's British' cupcake set which a colleague bought for me as a gift - thank you J!! :)

I'm sending these to the Tea Time Treats table hosted this month by Kate from What Kate Baked and co-hosted by Karen from Lavender and Lovage. The theme for June is summer fruits so I'm sure these strawberries and cream cupcakes count! 


 My Sweet Party hosted by Johanna from Me and My Sweets has also chosen summer fruits as the theme for June so I'm adding them to her party too! 


As these are cupcakes, I'm also sending them to Cupcake Tuesday hosted by Liz from Hoosier Homemade


I'm also entering them to the #oneingredient challenge hosted by Nazima from Working London Mummy and co-hosted by Laura from How to Cook Good Food



 Cupcake set from Lakeland - contains 24 cupcake cases and 24 flag toppers. Perfect for the occasion. 

 Adding fresh strawberries to the batter 

 Decided to try out my new cupcake plunger. I couldn't quite get the hang of it so I used a melon baller for most of the cakes. Has anyone else used this before? I followed the instructions but I couldn't seem to get the core of the cake out and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Any advice would be much appreciated :) 

 Fresh cupcakes ready to fill and frost

 Make a hole with a cupcake corer (or melon baller)

 Fill with strawberry jam 

 Replace the cake 

 Pipe frosting on top 

 Add a slice of fresh strawberry on top

I couldn't resist getting out my new cupcake stand which I found in Camden market yesterday. It has strawberry charms which are perfect. I have the exact same stand with cupcake charms but this is so cute and perfect for summer! I'm sure you'll be seeing more of this in the coming months :)


 Big ben 

 London Taxi 

 Soldier

 Red bus 

Which topper is your favourite? 

Strawberries and cream cupcakes - makes 22 of the size shown (I made 1.5 recipes - the recipe below is for 1 recipe ie 22 cupcakes) 

For the cupcakes
225g butter
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
210g self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
25g cornflour
180g fresh, ripe strawberries, hulled and chopped

For the filling
Strawberry jam - approximately 1 teaspoon per cupcake

For the vanilla buttercream frosting (enough to frost ~25 cupcakes)
250g butter
500g icing sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk

  • Preheat the oven to 160C.
  • Cream the butter and sugar then beat in the eggs, one by one. 
  • Add the flours and baking powder and beat well together. 
  • Finally stir in the chopped fresh strawberries. 
  • Scoop the cake batter into the cases using an ice cream scoop (or just use a spoon), filling them to about 2/3 full. 
  • Bake in the oven for about 20 -25  minutes.
  • The cakes will be fairly moist even when cooked. 
  • Remove from the oven and leave in their tins for about 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool. 
  • Once completely cool, carefully make a small hole in the centre of each cupcake using a cupcake corer or melon baller. 
  • Fill the hole with 1 teaspoon of strawberry jam then replace the sponge.
  • To make the vanilla buttercream - beat all the ingredients together in an electric mixer until smooth. 
  • Pipe the vanilla buttercream on top of the cupcakes.
  • Decorate with a slice of fresh strawberry and cupcake toppers. Alternatively, you can use sprinkles. 

40 comments:

  1. Love these - especially the strawberry pieces in the batter! I have the cuisipro version of the corer - i found it was easiest to just push it straight diwn into the cake, twist a bit if necessary and then lift it straight out - the cake would come with it and you could then use the plunger to eject the cake. Looking at your pics though, mine is a lot shorter and has a 'frill' around it which acts as a guide to how deep to go - it's more than you'd think. Hope that helps :)

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    1. Thanks Susie. The cake wouldn't come up with the plunger and I had to scoop it out with a spoon. Perhaps I just need to practice with it.

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  2. These look divine...and I agree Jubilee baking has been strangely addictive!! I love teh little cupcake toppers...I wanted the ones of the Queen, Prince Phillip and the corgis.

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    1. I love the cake toppers too! I'm not done with Jubilee baking yet ... another one tomorrow :)

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  3. Gorgeous cakes! I have a corer too but like you struggle to get the core out I gave up after a few cakes

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    1. Thanks! I got frustrated with it after a while so went back to my usual method of using a melon baller.

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  4. So pretty! I really like the toppers and cases, perfect for a street party. No wonder your cupcakes disappeared so quickly!

    I have yet to cook cupcakes with strawberry chunks successfully. No matter what I do it always ends up a gloopy mess!

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    1. I was so pleased when my friend gave the cases and toppers to me. The kids particularly loved it! I worry when using fresh fruit but I've made this recipe a few times and it's always turned out ok. Give it a go and see :)

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  5. That cupcake stand is so cute too! Glad you enjoyed the street party, I should have organised one for my road!

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    1. Thanks - it was only £3! I loved the street party and am wondering if they will do something similar for the Olympics :)

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  6. I have the cupcake plunger and, the first time I used it took a bit of getting used too I wiggled it to begin with and couldn't get the middle out. But I found a knack to doing it! You have to push hard and straight down into the cake (I thought the cake would break, but it was amazingly resilient!) then sort of bring it out at an angle coming upwards as you bring it out. This is the only way I've managed to do it! Is a neat little tool though :)

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    1. I couldn't get the middle of the cake out and I was worried about breaking the whole cake! Thanks for your tips - I will give it a try next time :)

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  7. I'm loving all of the Jubilee baking these are super cute! Gutted I haven't been able to do any. Well done!

    Nom! x

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    1. Thanks! I've gone a little Jubilee baking mad!! Hope you're enjoying the long bank holiday :) xx

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  8. OMG OMG OMG these look soooo cute and I love the cupcake set with the little flag! OMG OMG OMG i have the same cupcake plunger! I got it from NYC hehe i haven't used it though but I SHOULD!

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    1. I loved the cupcake set too! I'm not too pleased with the cupcake plunger though but maybe it's just me!

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  9. These are SO cute. love the so-very-british cupcake toppers. You all are having a gala time :D

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    1. Thanks! Yes it's been very festive over here :)

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  10. Thank you so much for what I think is our very first entry into this month's challenge!! And what a summery celebratory first entry it is too! I love the little cake toppers and your beautiful cake stand

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    1. Hurrah the first one? :) I'm really pleased with the cake stand!

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  11. These look great! I filled my cupcakes with jam too! I absolutely love the little cupcake stand!

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    1. I love jam filled cupcakes and am so pleased with my cupcake stand :)

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  12. How nice of you to bake these for your neighbors! I bet everyone was thrilled you brought these cupcakes. They look and sound delish! Thank you for sharing!

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    1. They were thrilled especially the kids :) There were lots of other cakes too!

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  13. Beautiful cupcakes Ros! They are absolutely perfect for the Jubilee celebrations! :D

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  14. PERFECT cakes and JUST so pretty too! I LOVE the cake toppers and like you, I have been carried away on a tide of Jubilee baking! Karen

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    1. Well between us we've probably baked enough for the whole country! ;-)

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  15. They look Brilliant! I've never used a corer but I did use a wilton nozzle and piping bag to put jam inside the cupcakes. It's nice to find another cupcake baker in the UK!
    http://tea-and-biscuit-time.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Oh yes I was given that nozzle as a gift but I've not used it yet - I must try it next time. Thanks for stopping by :)

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  16. gorgeous cakes! I just use the handle of a teaspoon to core out a hollow when I make stuffed cupcakes but must try this new device out.

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    1. Thanks! I found the cupcake corer a little fiddly and preferred using my melon baller.

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  17. They look awesome, and I love the sound of your street party! I was loving all the Jubilee themed decorations everywhere, I'm so sad that it's over now!

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    1. I'm sad that it's all over too! Hope you had a good Jubilee weekend :)

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  18. The toppers really finish off your sweet creations bit of a strawberry and cream theme here this month which is right up my street! Hope you had a good jubilee.

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    1. I had a great Jubilee thanks. I love the toppers too :)

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  19. The best bit about these little cupcakes for me is adding strawberries to the cake batter. I love it and have often wondered about doing it but never have. Now I will!
    Thanks for entering these perfectly seasonal and British treats into #oneingredient too!
    Laura@howtocookgoodfood xxx

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    1. The strawberries in the batter made the cake really moist and flavourful - definitely give it a go :)

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