Strawberry picnic cupcakes

Name: Strawberry picnic cupcakes
Ingredients: 5 eggs; 100 g sugar; 50 g flour; 50 g cocoa; 250 g strawberries; 2 tablespoons mascarpone; 300 ml cold whipping cream; 1 pinch red food coloring; 150 g strawberries

Dessert - Strawberry picnic cupcakes by Ortansa I. - Recipia

Small strawberries fit whole inside these strawberry picnic cupcakes, against the dark cocoa crumb. The sponge, made with eggs, sugar, flour and cocoa, rises light and airy, then each cupcake is filled with a strawberry and topped with whipped cream and mascarpone frosting, with strawberries on top. I slice the strawberries for decoration so their red shows against the white frosting. Prep: 30 minutes. Cook: 25 minutes. Rest: 45 minutes. Total: 100 minutes. Servings: 12. About 190 kcal and 5 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the batter

5 eggs
100 g sugar
50 g flour
50 g cocoa

For the filling

250 g strawberries

For the frosting

2 tablespoons mascarpone
300 ml cold whipping cream
1 pinch red food coloring

For decoration

150 g strawberries

Preparation

1. Beat the eggs with the sugar until the mixture turns pale and triples in volume. 2. Mix the flour with the cocoa and sift them. Add the mixture in 2-3 batches, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, gently folding from the bottom up. 3. Divide the batter among 12 cupcake molds. Bake at 170°C for 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely, about 45 minutes. 4. Scoop out the center of each cupcake. Wash the strawberries for the filling, remove the stems and put one in each cupcake. If needed, use a teaspoon to widen the space inside. 5. Beat the cold cream until stiff. Add the mascarpone and red food coloring, then mix briefly, just until combined. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and decorate the cupcakes. 6. Slice the strawberries for decoration and place them on top of the frosting.

Notes

Serve them with black tea, which goes well with the cocoa flavor. For the filling, choose small, firm strawberries that fit whole inside the cupcakes. After washing them, dry them well so they don't release water into the crumb. You can replace the mascarpone with 30 g full-fat cream cheese, and the flour with 50 g gluten-free cake mix. The cupcakes contain eggs and gluten, and the frosting contains dairy. Store them in a container in the fridge and eat them within 3 days; if you make them ahead, fill and decorate them on the day you serve them.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the sponge sink after baking?

If you open the oven too early, the sponge can sink. Keep the door closed for the first 18 minutes.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Yes, after thawing, leave them in a sieve for 30 minutes before using them for the filling. Thawed fruit may soften and get squashed if used for decoration.

How do I scoop out the center without a special tool?

Use a teaspoon and leave a base of about 1 cm so the filling stays inside the cupcake.