One of my regular clients asked me if I could make her strawberry basil cupcakes for a party she was throwing. My first thought was what a genius idea! And my second, after googling the title, was how do I make this the way I envision? I found recipes for strawberry basil lemonade cupcakes, strawberry balsamic cupcakes, and strawberry basil cupcakes with whipped cream frosting but none were just right. So I took a little bit from each and came out with the cupcakes below.
I have to say these were a HUGE hit. I even made an extra batch to take to my father-in-laws 60th birthday party and they were flying off the platter. Everyone really enjoyed the fresh summer combination. Steeping the milk with fresh basil leaves really brought out nice flavor and is worth the extra few minutes. If you are looking for a seasonal cupcake I recommend giving this one a try.
Strawberry Basil Cupcakes
Source: adapted from Runs with Spatulas and The Pinterest Project
Yield: 36 cupcakes
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 c sugar
4 1/2 c cake flour
5 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 c strawberries, diced and mashed
8 egg whites
2/3 c milk
5 fresh basil leaves, torn
1 lbs powdered sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp strawberries, diced
3 fresh basil leaves, minced
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Place the milk and torn basil leaves in a small saucepan over low heat. Let steep for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, discard basil and let cool.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a mixer, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the strawberries.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Slowly add the flour to the butter mixture. Once incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium and mix for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites and milk. Add to the batter in three sections, mixing only to incorporate between each addition.
Pour the batter into the prepare baking cups. Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add in powdered sugar. Mix until it has a smooth consistency. Add the vanilla, strawberries, and basil leaves. Mix until incorporated thoroughly. If frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk and mix.





