• Cookbook of the Month Recipe – Strawberry Cupcakes

  Filed under Cookbook of the Month, dessert - cakes/cupcakes
  Jun 5
  I usually have a “go-to” cookbook or two. I’m sure most of you know what I’m talking about. A cookbook (or website) you can go to and get a recipe to make that you know will turn out, because everything you’ve made from that book has been great. I actually have been making a lot of recipes from 2 cookbooks lately, and they are both Martha Stewart cookbooks. Everyday Food – Great Food Fast and her Cookie book have both been very successful for me. So when I saw that she was coming out with a cupcake book – you better believe I’d be first in line!

  I’m so glad I chose this book as the Cookbook of the Month, because I can tell that I’m going to have tons of fun. In fact, I may even get ambitious and post more than one a week.

  For my first try out of the book, I debated between these strawberry cupcakes and a rhubarb cupcake. Both ingredients in season, and I really had a hard time deciding. But the strawberry cupcakes won out, mainly because they look so impressive!

  I’m so glad I chose this one, because they were delicious!! I did have a couple of issues along the way, though. First of all, I live at almost 4800 ft. elevation. I’ve never made alterations in my baking for elevation – things usually work out for me. But when I took the first pan of these out of the oven, I could tell things weren’t working correctly. They were falling in the middle and they baked way faster than the recipe said. So I went online and did a search for high elevation changes, just as an experiment. I went back and upped the temperature 25F, and baked the next pan for only about 15 minutes. And they came out perfectly! I guess I do need to start making high elevation changes…

  The only other issue I had was that I got 44 cupcakes out of the recipe instead of the 34 that it claims. But that seems to happen to me a lot with cupcakes and cookies – I’m not sure why. So the recipe below says that you’ll probably get 40 – 44 cupcakes.

  Please also note that the recipe does not include the high altitude changes I made.

  Recipe Rating: 4.25 out of 5

  Strawberry Cupcakes
  adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

  makes 40-44 cupcakes

  2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  1/2 cup cake flour (not self rising)
  1 tablespoon baking powder
  1 teaspoon salt
  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  2 1/4 cups sugar
  1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  3 large whole eggs, plus 1 egg white
  1 cup milk
  2 cups finely chopped strawberries, plus more for garnish
  Strawberry Meringue Buttercream (recipe follows)

  Preheat the oven to 350F. Line standard muffin tins with paper lines.

  Sift together the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

  Put butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream on medium-high until pale and fluffy. Add the whole eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Change the speed to low, add the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk. Beat until well combined. Fold in the chopped strawberries by hand.

  Fill each paper liner with batter 3/4 full. Bake, rotating the pans half way through, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20 – 30 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool for 15 minutes, then turn cupcakes out onto rack to let cool completely.

  To finish, fill a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip with the buttercream. Pipe buttercream onto each cupcake, swirling tip and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Just before serving, top each cupcake with a thinly sliced strawberry.

  Strawberry Meringue Buttercream
  from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

  1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries (8 ounces), rinsed, hulled, and coarsely chopped
  4 large egg whites
  1 1/4 cups sugar
  1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature

  Puree strawberries in a food processor. Combine egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a standing electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).

  Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, mix until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

  With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula and switch to the paddle attachment; continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Add strawberries and beat until combined. Stir with a flexible spatula until the frosting is smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
  

  

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  34 Comments

34 Responses to “Cookbook of the Month Recipe – Strawberry Cupcakes”

1. 

   kristina said on June 5th, 2009 at 11:11 am

   Oooh! I just purchased this cookbook, so I'm so excited you'll be testing the recipes this month. Those look perfect! Very impressed with your icing swirls.

   K x

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2. 

   Patsyk said on June 5th, 2009 at 11:58 am

   I simply must have that cookbook! I have been waiting for it to hit the bookshelves, and after all the success with her Cookies book I'm sure every recipe in this one is a winner, too!

   Your cupcakes look perfect!

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3. 

   Sylvie said on June 5th, 2009 at 1:50 pm

   I have just bought some red & white polka dot cupcake cases, those would be the perfect recipe to use them with!

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4. 

   kat said on June 5th, 2009 at 1:51 pm

   Love strawberry cupcakes! Martha was making cupcakes the other day on her show & said the number of cupcakes can be effected by how much you beat up the batter.

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5. 

   eatme_delicious said on June 5th, 2009 at 3:02 pm

   Ooo I'm going to have to try that strawberry meringue buttercream!

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6. 

   Katrina said on June 5th, 2009 at 3:02 pm

   Those look so good. I just want to slurp the frosting right off the cupcake!

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7. 

   Jean Bugs said on June 5th, 2009 at 3:16 pm

   I got my book early Tuesday morning when they hit the shelves! These look awesome! They look like Martha baked them herself! lol I did the ginger molasses cupcakes…OMG!

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8. 

   Jean Bugs said on June 5th, 2009 at 4:37 pm

   Take a look! I just finished the post. I'm so excited about this book and cooking along with you!

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9. 

   Abby said on June 5th, 2009 at 5:01 pm

   CUTE pic. I was planning to make strawberry cupcakes next week for a co-worker's birthday!

   I love Martha.

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10. 

    Rosa's Yummy Yums said on June 5th, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    What gorgeous cupcakes! Very pretty!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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11. 

    Grace said on June 5th, 2009 at 5:40 pm

    i love the color of these, first and foremost. i also love the strawberry half sticking straight up out of the delectable frosting. bravo.

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12. 

    Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes] said on June 5th, 2009 at 6:53 pm

    Great picture! I'm desperately waiting to bake from this book! Your cupcakes just re-inforced that feeling!

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13. 

    kamailesfood said on June 5th, 2009 at 8:24 pm

    These cupcakes scream summer! The frosting looks so yummy and I usually am not a frosting fan.

    You may tempt me into buying this cookbook. Although, I probably don't need another cupcake book. What am I saying? I can always use another cupcake book.

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14. 

    Maria said on June 5th, 2009 at 10:06 pm

    I want that cookbook! Love the pink cuppycakes!

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15. 

    oneordinaryday said on June 5th, 2009 at 10:58 pm

    I was looking through this cookbook the other day. You did a beautiful job with your cupcakes. They look great.

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16. 

    Paula said on June 6th, 2009 at 12:12 am

    That strawberry meringue buttercream frosting sounds wonderful! I've not heard of that before, although that's not saying much 'cuz I'm not much of a baker. These sounds and look delish!

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17. 

    PheMom said on June 6th, 2009 at 12:18 am

    Those look so amazingly perfect! I can't wait to get my hands on that book!

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18. 

    Steph said on June 6th, 2009 at 1:43 am

    I'm definitely making the strawberry SBMC!

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19. 

    Sandy said on June 6th, 2009 at 3:49 am

    Anything with strawberries is delicious – in my mind (and mouth!)

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20. 

    Ingrid said on June 6th, 2009 at 3:52 am

    I had that book pre-ordered and have been reading and drooling over it all week!

    Your cupcakes look lovely.
    ~ingrid

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21. 

    Brilynn said on June 6th, 2009 at 4:46 am

    I just got the book recently too but haven't had a chance to bake from it yet, it looks so good though. I love Martha's Cookie book.

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22. 

    MindyW said on June 6th, 2009 at 5:34 am

    Wow! That really makes a ton of cupcakes! What do you do with them all? Sounds like a fun cookbook.

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23. 

    Kristy said on June 6th, 2009 at 1:25 pm

    I am going to have to go and get that cookbook. Thanks for sharing. Those cupcakes look so yummy!

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24. 

    Talia said on June 6th, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    Thanks for vetting that for us so quickly! I've put the cookbook on my wishlist for an upcoming birthday, but may have to go ahead and try these. Grin.

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25. 

    Sippity Sup said on June 6th, 2009 at 9:56 pm

    Thanks for visiting SippitySup! I swear I was not copying you when I did strawberry cake today. You cupcake version looks fab! GREG

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26. 

    sheila said on June 7th, 2009 at 6:29 am

    I always buy her Holiday magazines at Christmas. One of them (Cookies:2003?) is still one of my favourite baking books ever. And it's a magazine!

    Love the idea of a meringue buttercream.

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27. 

    Katie said on June 7th, 2009 at 10:12 am

    Wow they look wonderful and so summery. They are making me smile just looking at them

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28. 

    How To Eat A Cupcake said on June 8th, 2009 at 7:40 pm

    Are all the recipes in that book written for so many cupcakes??? Geez!! Who is Martha trying to feed? Lol ;D

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29. 

    Shannon said on June 9th, 2009 at 1:50 pm

    Delicious! I need her Cupcake book! I have her cookie book and I use it pretty much any time I bake cookies. They look amazing!

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30. 

    Mrs. L said on June 9th, 2009 at 10:38 pm

    I've been looking at that recipe in the book to try too. Can't wait to see what other cupcakes you try!

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31. 

    bakersbakery said on June 12th, 2009 at 2:22 pm

    I've been thinking about getting this book, but was worried about having a whole book devoted entirely to cupcakes since I don't make them that often… Now I'm definitely considering it again. These look great!

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32. 

    Psychgrad said on June 20th, 2009 at 6:40 pm

    It's interesting how elevation makes such a difference in baking. These looks delicious. Love the sky-high icing. Yum! Not sure why I'm looking at cupcakes after a weekend full of them. But these look pretty irresistable.

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33. 

    Rebecca said on November 30th, 2010 at 6:40 pm

    Do you think this would be fine with whipped cream and a strawberry garnish instead of the buttercream icing?

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34. 

    Deborah said on November 30th, 2010 at 6:53 pm

    Rebecca,

    I'm pretty sure it would work with a whipped cream topping. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!

    [Reply]

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