Ingredients:

  • 300g fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
  • 165g granulated sugar, divided
  • 5ml lemon juice
  • 190g all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 5g baking powder
  • 2g salt
  • 340g unsalted butter, divided and softened
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 60g sour cream, room temperature
  • 120ml whole milk, room temperature
  • 10ml pure vanilla extract
  • 170g white chocolate baking bar (min. 20% cocoa butter)
  • 300g powdered sugar, sifted
  • 30ml heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. Combine the 300g of chopped strawberries, 15g of the sugar, and 5ml of lemon juice in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for about 12-15 minutes until the mixture thickens into a jam like consistency. Stir frequently to prevent the bottom from burning. Once reduced to about half its volume, remove from heat and let it cool completely.
  2. Set your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line your muffin tin with paper liners. Sift together the 190g of flour, 5g of baking powder, and 2g of salt into a bowl.
  3. In your mixer, beat 115g of the softened butter with the remaining 150g of granulated sugar for 3-5 minutes until pale and extremely fluffy. This step incorporates air which is crucial for the rise.
  4. Add the 1 large egg and 10ml of vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat well. Mix in the 60g of sour cream until the batter looks smooth and emulsified. If it looks curdled, your ingredients might be too cold.
  5. Add half of the dry ingredients, then the 120ml of milk, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix, or the cupcakes will be tough.
  6. Gently fold in about two thirds of your cooled strawberry reduction. Leave some streaks of red for a beautiful marbled effect.
  7. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners. Bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops spring back. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack.
  8. While the cakes cool, melt 170g of white chocolate. In a clean bowl, beat the remaining 225g of butter with the 300g of powdered sugar and 30ml of heavy cream. Once fluffy, pour in the melted (but cooled!) white chocolate. Beat for another 2 minutes until it looks like a thick, glossy cloud.
  9. Once the cupcakes are cold, use a small knife to remove a tiny core from the center of each. Fill the hole with a spoonful of the remaining strawberry reduction.
  10. Pipe the white chocolate frosting onto each cupcake. If you have extra fresh berries, a small slice on top adds a beautiful pop of color.