Cupcakes!! So – a couple of weeks ago I was stuck in bed sick watching “Sugar Rush” and “Nailed It” on Netflix.  Ever since, I’ve been wanting to bake cupcakes 🙂   Instead of an ordinary cupcake with cake mix and vanilla or chocolate frosting, I wanted to try a different flavor.  This week, I decided to make one of my flavor combinations I wanted to try (I’ll bake the other flavor in the coming weeks) – STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES WITH LYCHEE ICING!

For a base cupcake recipe, I found this recipe from a blog called “Food and Wine”.  Since I was making some for my work, neighbors and fiance’s work as well, I decided to double the recipe.

I started out mixing my dry ingredients in a bowl.

In a stand mixer bowl, I mixed together the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract.

I must say, ever since I got my stand mixer this past Christmas from my parents, I am in LOVE!  Making cupcakes, cakes, bread, etc. is so much easier now!

I then slowly add in the butter and oil while mixing.

Before slowly incorporating the “dry” mix, I decided to replace half of the milk for Strawberry Torani Syrup (any strawberry syrup would do).*

*Originally, I was going to put pureed strawberries in the batter, but I wanted to save the strawberries I had for a garnish instead.

After incorporating the “dry” mix into the stand mixer, I let is mix on “high” for a minute or two to make sure all the ingredients are mixed together and the batter was smooth.

Time to distribute the batter into the cupcake tin (only fill 2/3 of a way), and into the oven they go!

After the cupcakes baked for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, check with a tooth pick to ensure the cupcake is cooked through (tooth pick should come out clean).  Then, I opted for a knife and made slits into each cupcake before taking them out of the tin to let them cool (while I baked my other batch).

Once the cupcakes are cooled, I used a pastry brush to brush a little Strawberry Torani onto the tops to ensure the cupcakes didn’t lose the “strawberry” flavor (*caution: don’t put too much though!)

Now – time for the ICING!

*Knowing I did not have any pastry bags or piping tips, I opted for more of an “icing” texture rather than a fluffy frosting.

I put in 8 oz of unsalted butter, 4 cups of powdered sugar, and tablespoons of Lychee Torani syrup** and mixed the mixture.

**When at the store, I could not find Lychee essence or extract, so I bought this instead!  I knew that just using the fruit would make the lychee flavor too subtle.

After mixing it until smooth, I put about 4 lychee (from a can) into my blender and pureed it.  Once pureed, I added it to the icing mixture.

Continue to mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

*NOTE/TIP: My measurements for my icing are estimated.  If the icing is too watery, add more powered sugar.  If it’s too thick, add more puree or lychee Torani syrup.  Don’t forget to taste test it to make sure the flavor is how you want it!

After the icing is done, pour the icing into a ziplock bag.  Once you close the top, get a scissors and snip a small (SMALL!) piece of the bottom corner of the ziplock off.  Then proceed to “pipe” the icing onto the cooled and brushed cupcakes.

Of course, if you have piping bags and tips (which I couldn’t find at the store that day), by all means, use that instead! It will look much better 🙂

Once I piped the icing onto the cupcakes, I added strawberry pieces and mini lychee mochi on the top to garnish/decorate.  YUM!

 

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES WITH LYCHEE ICING

• Cupcake Ingredients (makes 2 dozen) – taken from Food and Wine
  • 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 4 tbsp corn starch
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Strawberry Torani Syrup
• Frosting Ingredients
  • 8 oz. unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp Lychee Torani Syrup
  • Canned lychee (I used only 4 lychee pieces)

CUPCAKE INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit and line your muffin tin with paper or foil liners
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat sugar with the eggs and vanilla extract at high speed until smooth
• Add the butter and oil and beat until all ingredients mixed thoroughly
• Slowly, incorporate the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, while also slowly adding the milk and Strawberry Torani Syrup.  Mix until all ingredients are mixed together and smooth.
• Pour batter into the lined muffin tins (only fill 2/3 of a way)
• Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes (check with a tooth pick to make sure tooth pick comes out clean, and cupcake is cooked through)
• Use a knife (or tooth pick) to make slits into the cupcakes.  Allow cupcakes to cool.
• Once cupcakes are cooled, use a pastry brush to lightly brush on Strawberry Torani Syrup.

LYCHEE ICING INSTRUCTIONS

• In a bowl, add the powdered sugar, softened butter, and Lychee Torani Syrup.  Mix on high speed until smooth.
• Get lychee from can (I used 4) and puree in blender.
• Add puree to icing mixture and mix until smooth.
• **Taste test the icing to make sure it’s to your liking.  If it’s too thick, add more puree or syrup.  If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
• Use ziplock bag (see above in blog), piping bag, or even just a knife to place the icing on top of the cupcake – don’t put too much as the icing will run, and the sweetness of the icing will overpower the cupcake

OPTIONAL: Garnish with strawberry pieces and lychee mochi!

*DISCLAIMER: Foodie at Law posts in no way provide any warranty (express or implied) in regards to the recipes provided or the outcome of said recipes, and I am not a chef or professional cook.  These recipes are intended solely for informational purposes and readers are advised to use their own discretion when it comes to food, health, allergy and cooking safety.  While original recipes will occasionally be posted, recipes obtained from other sources are appropriately cited.