Berries'n'Cream Cupcakes

So, I'm trying something new, and you'll have to tell me how you like it.  Soon, I'll be sharing with you the images from some of the vintage ads and cookbooks that I get my inspiration from.  Just for the fun of it, I've run my photos through some filters and tweaked them here and there to give them a "vintage" feel as well.  What do you think?

Now, this post is part of the Berry Love bloghop, hosted by the lovely Junia Kim at Baker Street.  Living in the Northern Latitudes, it's still WAY too early for berries, so I resorted to frozen.  However, this recipe should work equally well with fresh berries.

In the meantime, let's get down to the recipe.  If you're a frequent visitor you might even recognize the recipe.  Yes, it's my favorite white cake recipe.  Yes, I tweak it around in a dozen different ways to suit my purpose.  It's just hard to beat Whipped Cream Cake.

Strawberry Swirl Cupcakes

3/4 c. + 2 Tbsp heavy cream
3/4 c. + 2 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 3/4 c. Fancy Flour Blend or other gluten free AP flour OR
1/4 c. millet flour
1/4 c. sweet rice flour
3/4 c. white rice flour
1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp tapioca starch
2 Tbsp potato starch
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 Tbsp milk

(If you want more pictures of this, go see the original cake post here)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners - this recipe makes around 18.
I'll just re-iterate, with this recipe, make sure you have all your ingredients out and ready to go before you start.  Things start moving pretty fast and it's very easy to overwhip the cream, etc., if you're not paying attention.

In a bowl, combine flour, salt, xanthan gum and baking powder.  Place sugar in another small bowl.  In a third, beat eggs and egg whites until light and foamy.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of your stand mixer, beat cream until soft peaks form.  Add egg mixture and beat a little more until foamy.  Add sugar and flavorings, then dry ingredients, gradually.  With mixer still on low, add milk, then turn up to medium and beat until smooth.
Portion batter into liners with a 2 oz disher.  Fill a squeeze bottle with strawberry filling (recipe below).

Place the nozzle of the bottle well into the batter in each cup, and squeeze and swirl a small amount of filling into each cupcake.

Probably a couple teaspoons, at most.  Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until lightly browned.  They WILL fall somewhat, because of the filling, so err on the side of slightly overbaked.

Cool completely.  Frost with the Brave Tart's German Buttercream (Yes, again).  Take what strawberry filling remains (probably around 1/3 c.) and add 1 Tbsp cornsyrup to the bottle.  Shake well.  Add a little water, if necessary, to reach drizzling consistency.  Drizzle over frosting.

Strawberry Filling

2 c. frozen strawberries
1/3 c. sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp cornstarch

Thaw berries.  Process in a blender until pureed.  Strain into a saucepan. (much in the way of seeds or lumps will clog the squeeze bottle).  Stir together cornstarch and sugar.  Add to berry puree along with lemon juice.  Cook and stir until mixture boils and begins to thicken.  Cool and place in a squeeze bottle.

This recipe would be just as good with blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.  The soft, creamy cupcakes and the fluffy buttercream make these the perfect "fresh berry" snack cakes.