strawberry daiquiri cupcakes

Daiquiris are the quintessential summer cocktail (in this girl's opinion). Combining a summer seasonal fruit (in this case strawberries) and rum, this flavour combination lends itself especially well to cake. For the fourth instalment of cuptails, I give you strawberry daiquiri cupcakes. 

I'd like to take a play from the strawberry's book and find myself some sun and a parasol.

Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes
(recipe yields 24 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

4 eggs

1/2 cup chopped or puréed strawberries

2 tsp rum extract

pink food colour gel

Directions:

Heat oven to 350F. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add oil, followed by eggs, one at a time. Mix on high for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, continue mixing. Add strawberries, extract and colour and mix for 1 minute. Pour batter into cupcake liners (about 2 large tablespoons per cupcake) and bake for 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  

Strawberry Buttercream Icing:

recipe yields 2-3 cups

Ingredients:  

2/3 cup egg whites

1 cup white sugar

2 cups butter (4 sticks)

1/2 cup strawberry purée

Directions:

Heat egg whites in a double boiler stirring frequently so that egg whites do not become cooked. Slowly add sugar and mix thoroughly for about 5 minutes or until mixture reaches 55C. Transfer mixture to mixing bowl and whip on high until stiff peaks form. Switch mixer attachment to paddle and slowly incorporate butter. Turn the speed up until mixture becomes uniform. Add purée and mix until incorporated.

Strawberry is among my favourite flavour (and fruit), so this cuptail is always a sweet treat for me. Now it can be a sweet treat for you too!

-Danielle