Strawberry and White Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe- Homemade Father's Day Gift

 It's English strawberry season and each year I love to experiment with new recipes and ways of using my favourite berry. I've also been thinking about handmade Father's Day gift ideas and as my Dad loves white chocolate and strawberries too, I hope he will love a gift of these little cakes! Filled with fresh strawberries and topped with white chocolate buttercream, they are a real treat (I'm enjoying one with a cup of tea as I type). Here's the recipe...

Makes 16 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 150g butter
• 150g Self Raising Flour
• 125g caster sugar
• 3 medium free range eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 200g fresh strawberries

For the buttercream icing

• 150g icing sugar
• 150g butter
• 150g white chocolate
• Milk chocolate sprinkles
• 8 strawberries

For the cake

Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees and add paper cake cases to cupcake trays

1) Cream the butter and sugar together using a large metal spoon or an electric mixer until smooth

2) Beat the eggs and add them to the butter and sugar mixture a little at a time, ensuring the egg is fully combined in the mixture

3) Sift in the flour, then add the vanilla extract and beat until combined

4) Chop the strawberries into small pieces and add these to the cake mixture, mixing until combined

5) Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases and bake for aprox 15-25 minutes. The cakes are ready when a skewer or cocktail stick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely

6) To make the white chocolate buttercream, first cream together the butter and icing sugar together using a large metal spoon or electric beater

7) Melt the white chocolate and allow to cool slightly before beating it into the buttercream mixture 

8) If the buttercream looks a little runny, leave in in the fridge for a while to firm up a bit

9) Ice the cakes using a piping bag or add the icing with a knife if you prefer. Top with chocolate sprinkles and half a strawberry

Happy baking!