Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Inspired by the Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars

This is one of my favorite cupcake recipes. The cake is filled with strawberry flavor (not from extracts) and the topping tastes just like the outside of the Good Humor bars. Unfortunately due to a particular ingredient in the topping, this is not a vegetarian recipe. If you want to balance the flavors and add tanginess, frost with cream cheese frosting rather than a traditional vanilla buttercream.

Makes 12-16 cupcakes.*

STRAWBERRY REDUCTION INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups strawberries, cut into quarters
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons water

CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS

• 325 grams cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 bags (2.4 ounces) freeze dried strawberries, finely ground using a blender
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract (I tend to be heavy handed)
• 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1/2 cup buttermilk**
• 2-3 drops pink gel food coloring, optional
• 1-2 batches vanilla buttercream frosting, depending on how much frosting you like

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE TOPPING

• 24 golden Oreos
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 box (3 ounces) strawberry Jell-O

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the cupcake tins by placing cupcake liners into each of the wells. I prefer natural, tulip shaped cupcake liners as they are easier to remove from the tin wells and hold taller cupcakes and the topping quite nicely.
2. In a saucepan, combine the chopped strawberries, 1/4 cup of sugar, juice of two lemons, and 3 tablespoons of water. Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally until softened (~15 minutes), then mash the strawberries with a potato masher. Continue to cook on medium heat stirring occasionally until the liquid has been reduced such that it’s a bit sticky and coats the back of a spoon without immediately running off (~10-15 minutes). You’ll be left with about half the volume. Transfer to a small metal mixing bowl to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ground freeze dried strawberries, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl using a whisk, combine the vegetable oil, and sugar until uniformly combined and slightly lightened in color.
6. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture until fully combined whisking vigorously for approximately 2 minutes. The batter may be fluffier/lighter, which is perfect.
7. Whisk in the sour cream and buttermilk in the wet mixture until fully combined. Then mix in the cooled strawberry reduction
8. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold in with a spatula until not dry spots remain. Some clumps may remain, but if you overmix this will prevent a good rise.
9. Let the batter sit for ~3 minutes so that the freeze dried strawberries may absorb some of the liquid.
10. Using a medium ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake tins. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 23-25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. The cupcakes should bounce back when slightly pressed with your finger.
11. While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the vanilla buttercream frosting or the cream cheese frosting. Cover with plastic wrap. 
12. Let the cupcakes sit in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove and place on cooling racks for ~1.5 hours, or until completely cool.

TOPPING INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a freezer bag using a rolling pin, crush the golden Oreos until they’re roughly crushed maintaining some chunks. Do not crush finely. Alternatively you may pulse them in a food processor or blender, ensuring they do not blend into a fine crumb, then transfer to a mixing bowl.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave, then add to the crushed golden Oreos and shake the bag, or mix with a spatula, to fully combine.
3. Add the Jell-O mix to the bag or bowl, then shake/stir to fully combine.
4. Using a toaster oven, lightly toast the golden Oreo mixture on a tray covered with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray. Stir halfway through the toasting process then immediately after they’re toasted.
5. Remove the tray from the toaster oven and let cool completely prior to decoration.

ASSEMBLY

1. Frost the cooled cupcakes with a piping bag and your desired piping tip.
2. Add the toasted, cooled Oreo mixture to the top of the cupcakes.
3. They’re ready to eat! Due to the strawberries, store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, noting the cake may begin to dry a little. Ideally bring to room temperature prior to consuming.

*NOTE 1: If you’d like to make this into a two layer cake, spray two 8” cake pans with cooking spray, line with parchment rounds the size of the base, then spray with cooking spray again. Split the batter into the two pans and bake for ~30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. The cake will look matte, bounce back when lightly pressed with your finger, and be slightly pulling away from the edges of the pan. I recommend two batches of frosting for the cake, and adding the strawberry topping in between the layers over the frosting and around the sides of the cake.

**NOTE 2: I never have buttermilk on hand, so I do a 3:1 ratio of heavy cream to water, or simply whole milk, with lemon juice. For this recipe, combine 3/4 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup water, then stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or mix 1 cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice). Let sit for 5 minutes and then add to your recipe.