Dessert Mash-Ups: Cake & Cupcake Creations: Strawberry Pie Cupcakes

Strawberry pie cupcakes are a match made in paradise.An elegant as well as simple dessert that will surely impress your friends and family.Just gazing at this lush cake topped with juicy berries and butter cream frosting.You just cannot resist its charm!

This is a superb dessert mash-up with a beautiful presentation along with top notch flavor.This dessert is simple for anyone to create with easy to grasp directions along with a budget friendly ingredient list.These cupcakes are completely made from scratch with a basic yellow cake,versatile butter cream along with a quick strawberry filling made with fresh berries.This cupcake recipe opens up many design concepts and is entirely adaptable.Just envision all the classic pie's that could be constructed to develop an unique cupcake of your own.There is endless possibilities.

Although, this cupcake may be easy-going and full of ideas it can be challenging for some to produce.If you  make cakes often then it won't be as difficult to begin introducing fruit fillings as well as pipping designs.If your a first timer,then I recommend to keep it simple as well as stress-free.If a pipping design doesn't appear as you imagined.Then wipe it off gently and start over again.Beside the most important part is allowing yourself to have fun as well as getting the opportunity to have a taste.Practice always makes perfect in my book.
 
Following all that hard work you can finally get that taste test you always wanted and really no one could go wrong with this combination. Just imagine a moist,sponge-like yellow cupcake topped with juicy strawberries immersed in a sweet glaze as well as piped with a creamy, smooth butter cream frosting.I dare you to try one for yourself and tell me what you think.This is certainly a two thumbs up mash-up and I highly recommend you make these next time you have fresh strawberries.Drizzle some chocolate on top,need I say more.
 

 Strawberry Pie Cupcakes

Strawberry Filling

2 cups hulled and quartered fresh strawberries (about 12 ounces),divided

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup water,divided
2 tbsp cornstarch

Cupcakes 

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter,melted
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk

Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter,softened
Pinch of salt
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
12 pie Crust Dippers for garnish(optional)

 Strawberry Filling

First, I washed,hulled and quartered the strawberries.Then I placed 1 cup of the berries in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/3 cup of water.Lastly, I stirred the berry mixture occasionally,over medium to low heat,while cooking for 10 minutes.

Then in a small bowl,I combined 1/4 cup of water and 2 tbsp of cornstarch. I then slowly added the cornstarch mixture to the cooking strawberries.This thickens very quickly.Then I let the filling cool completely in the refrigerator, optional at room temperature. Then,I stirred in the remaining uncooked berries and stored in the refrigerator until the cupcakes were ready for assembling.

Cupcakes

Preheated the oven to 350 F.Then lined a standard 12 cup cupcake pan with silicone liners.

Whisked together the flour,baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Then with using my stand mixer. I added the melted butter and  sugar together,beating until thick and yellow.Then I added the eggs one at a time,beating after each addition.Then lastly,beat in the vanilla extract.

Then I added the flour mixture and buttermilk by alternating. Starting and ending with the flour.Three parts flour,two parts milk.Folding in the mixture each time using a rubber spatula to prevent over mixing.

Then,I divided the batter among the silicone liners,filling each one two thirds full.Then I baked them for 14-15 minutes,until a toothpick inserted came out clean.Then I let them cool completely before frosting.
 

Frosting

With my stand mixer on paddle attachment.I creamed together softened butter until smooth,adding in the salt and 1 cup of sugar at a time,until completely incorporated.Then lastly added the vanilla and heavy whipping cream.Then I transfer the frosting into a pastry bag fitting with a 1M tip (Large star tip)

Assembling 

I cut out the center of each cupcake using a cupcake corer,about 1 1/2 inches wide to 1/2 to 1/4 inches deep.Then filled in the cupcake centers with over a tbsp of strawberry filling.Then gently piped along the edges with the frosting creating star tips similar to the whip cream found on a strawberry pie.Then optional,top with a pie crust dipper.To store loosely cover and place in refrigerator.