Strawberry Chocolate Valentine Cupcakes Recipe

Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes

Happe Valentines day! Whether you're single or coupled up this Valentines, the holiday of love is a great excuse for themed cakes! Using this simple strawberry and white chocolate flavoured recipe, you'll be sure to wow your other half and definately be worth that romantic candlelight dinner that is surely planned and prepared! This recipe uses a favourite flavour combination of mine.. inspired by the ultimate romantic dessert, chocolate and stawberries! 

Using a light and fluffy strawberry sponge, combined with white chocolate chips and a smooth strawberry buttercream, this melt in the mouth cupcake is perfect for that after dinner indulgence.



Makes 12 - 24

Ingredients

For the cakes:

120g Butter or Margarine

120g Caster Sugar (could also use granulated)

2 Eggs

160g Self-Raising Flour

2 to 3 Tbsp Milk

1/2 to 1 Tsp Strawberry Extract
5 to 6 Chopped Frozen or Dried Strawberries

For the buttericing:

140g Butter

340g Icing Sugar (+ more if necessary)

1 to 2 Tbsp Milk (+ more if necessary)
30g Melted White Chocolate
Pink Edible Spray
Gummy Heart Sweets
Chocolates from a Chocolate box
Edible Pink and Purple Crystals or Sprinkles

Directions

• Preheat an oven to 180°C.
• Line a muffin/cake tray (2 if you have them) with cake cases.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a spoon until pale and fluffy.
• In a jug or cup, beat the eggs with a whisk and beat into the butter mixture.
• Add strawberry extract.
• Fold in the flour a little at a time, using a spoon. 
• Fold in chopped strawberries.
• Whisk the mixture and add some milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency (take a spoonful and see if the mixture drops / droops off).
• Spoon the mixture into the cases until half full.
• Bake in the oven for approx. 10 to 15 minutes (until the tops are golden and firm and an inserted skewer / toothpick comes out clean).
• Allow the cakes to cool on a plate or wire rack.
• While the cakes are cooling, make the buttericing by beating the butter until smooth in a large bowl.
• Add icing sugar until the buttericing is a pale yellow / white colour (here is where I do a taste test to see if more icing sugar is needed!)
• Add milk until the icing is of a smooth and drooping consistency but not too liquid. (It should be thick but still a droopy mixture).
• Mix in strawberry extract.
• Place the buttericing mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cakes. 
• Spray the cakes with edible pink glitter spray (hold can approx. 20cm from cake)
• Decorate with chocolate from a chocolate box or heart shapped sweets.
• Sprinkle some edible red and pink crystals.
• Dust with edible glitter if you wish!
• Allow to chill in a refrigerator.
• These will last for approx. 3 - 4 days.

Tips & Serving Ideas

• Serve with a large bouquet of fresh red roses...!
• Colour the buttericing with red or pink food colouring.

Cara X