Berries are abundant, available and affordable now. Use them to make a tasty treat
By MARLO KITSHOFF-CARSTENS
Assistant SUZANNE CROZIER
Photos ANDREA CALDWELL
24 cupcakes
4 extra large eggs
375 ml (1½ cup) castor sugar
5 ml (1 t) vanilla essence
560 ml (2¼ cup) cake flour
10 ml (2 t) baking powder
1 ml salt
60 ml (4 T) milk
187 ml (¾ cup) strawberry purée
125 ml (½ cup) oil
STRAWBERRY ICING
2 50 g (½ brick) white margarine at room temperature
1 kg (1 big box) icing sugar, sifted
1 ml baking powder
10 ml (2 t) full cream milk
60 ml (4 T) strawberry purée
5 ml (1 t) vanilla essence
2 drops of red food colouring
Preheat oven to 180 °C.
1 Strawberry cupcakes Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla essence together till fluffy.
2 Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt.
3 Stir milk, strawberry purée and oil together and add sifted flour and milk mixture alternately to egg mixture till mixed thoroughly.
4 Divide batter among 24 muffin cups inside muffin pan.
5 Bake for 15–18 minutes or till cake tester comes out clean.
6 Take cupcakes out of oven and place on cooling rack to cool off completely.
7 Strawberry icing Whisk margarine with electric whisk till creamy, about 5 minutes.
8 Combine icing sugar and baking powder. Add about 500 ml (2 cups) icing sugar to margarine.
9 Stir milk, strawberry purée and vanilla essence into margarine mixture. Beat with electric whisk till fluffy, about 3 minutes.
10 Add icing sugar mixture bit by bit and keep whisking till mixed thoroughly, about 3 minutes.
11 Add food colouring and mix well.
12 Decorate muffins with strawberry icing and nuts if required.
