Saturday, February 15, 2014

Mini Batch Cupcakes: Fresh Strawberry on Chocolate

Listen, I know I JUST posted a dessert.  But I'm apparently not getting anywhere on this diet, because I went ahead and made another dessert.  To be fair, I made a mini mini batch of cupcakes.  Only three!  So I can't be tempted to eat a ton at once.  Progress.


Have you ever been to Sammy's?  There was one in Salt Lake for a half a second until it closed down.  I'd call it a tragedy, but since I only went there twice in the entire year or two it was here, I can't exactly act too disappointed.  There's still a Sammy's in Provo, as well as in Rexburg.  So attend one of those when you can!  It's worth an extra drive.

Sammy's makes a cupcake shake, using Sweet Tooth Fairy cupcakes.  And a craving struck big time tonight.  But since I'm no where near a Sammy's, and since I can make pretty dang good cupcakes if I say so myself, I figured I'd whip one of these up on my own.


Below you'll find the recipe for three cupcakes.  Just three!  That can in no way be considered indulgent.  Share one with a husband, roommate, friend, or child, and you barely have enough left for yourself!  I had planned on husband eating a shake with me, so I knew the cupcake had to be chocolate.  And we had some strawberries at the end of their life in the fridge.  I've been meaning to make fresh berry frosting for a while, so this was a perfect excuse.

Seriously, this is nearly as easy as that microwave mug cake, but a hundred times better tasting.


Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes (via)
Yield 3 or 4

1-2 Tbs. chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1 Tbs. butter, room temperature
1/4 c. sugar
1 large egg (about 1 Tbs. white removed)
2 Tbs. oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs. + 1 tsp. greek yogurt or sour cream
1/4 c. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbs. cocoa powder
2 Tbs. room temp water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tin with 3 or 4 cupcake liners, or spray with cooking spray.

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave at short intervals, or in a pot on the stove top over medium low heat.  Set aside to cool slightly. In a small bowl, use a fork to blend the butter and sugar together.  Add cooled chocolate to butter mixture and blend well. Add egg to mix and combine.  Add oil, vanilla, and yogurt and again mix to combine.  Measure the flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder into the bowl, then use your fork to combine until no dry streaks remain.  Add the water, and mix til just incorporated.  Spoon the batter into your prepared cups, filling the cups just 2/3 of the way.

Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Remove the cupcakes onto a rack to cool (you can place them in the fridge at this point, for about 10 minutes, to quicken the cooling).


Small Batch Fresh Strawberry Frosting (via)
Yield about 1/2 cup

1/4 c. chopped strawberries
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. water
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. butter, room temperature
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. heavy cream
pinch of salt

Combine strawberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan, and place over medium heat.  Allow the strawberries to begin to soften, and use the back of a wooden spoon to smash strawberries as they cook.  This should only take two minutes or so.  Add the splash of balsamic vinegar, and continue to cook til the mixture thickens a bit, about two more minutes.  Remove from heat and set in a bowl to cool (it can still be slightly warm, but not much more above room temperature.)

Place 1 Tbs. strawberry mixture with the butter in a small bowl.  Use a fork to combine well.  Add powdered sugar, cream, and salt to the bowl, and use an electric mixer to whip to combine.  If mixture seems too runny, add additional powdered sugar.  If it seems too thick, add additional cream until the preferred consistency is reached.


And if you want a shake?  Just put 1/2 cup of milk, 1 cup of ice cream, and your frosted cupcake into a blender!  Done and done.


1 comment:

lynsie said...

I love you ash and hope we can live by each other some day so we can back together and share yummy treats while our husband are working or being forever students