Strawberry Peach Basil Cupcakes
We had a bakoff at work and I wanted to make a cupcake with a creative flavor combination. To get inspiration I decided to flip through the Iron Cupcake Earth Flickr pool. There are some great cupcake photos in there! I could spend hours just browsing through that photo pool… I came across this recipe and thought it sounded perfect. I’ve made lemon blueberry basil cupcakes before that were delicious.
I used the recipe from Take the Cannoli as inspiration for the flavor combo but just used my own recipes. The cupcakes are Martha Stewart’s yellow buttermilk cupcakes that I made recently with rave reviews.
For the filling, I used the peach jam I just made. I stirred in about two cups of fresh strawberries and reduced it on the stove until it thickened up even more. Then I let the jam mixture cool.
Once the jam was completely cool, I strained some of it through the strainer to get out any pulp and seeds. That strained off version is the sauce that I added to the top of the cupcakes for some additional color. I added some thinly sliced fresh basil to the remaining jam mixture to use to fill the cupcakes.
For the frosting, I used the same base recipe that I posted yesterday, using french vanilla pudding. This base frosting recipe is great and very easy to mix up. Once it was mixed, I added some of the jam filling to the frosting until it got enough of a hint of the fruit and basil without being over powering. Then I added another pinch of the freshly chopped basil just for good measure. I enjoy this type of frosting best at room temperature, so while I do store these cupcakes overnight in the fridge, definitely let them warm up a bit before serving.
I’m happy to announce that I did win the Innovation Award for most creative flavor combination. All the hard work and taste testing paid off!
Don’t forget to enter in my 2nd blogiversary giveaway by midnight on August 28th! You could win some cute cupcake liners like the red ones seen in this post!
Check out my week of cupcakes here.
Vanilla Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
1 stick salted butter, softened
1/2 pkg french vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (or more to suit your tastes) powdered sugar
Directions:
In mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter until smooth and silky.
Turn the speed to low and add the pudding mix, when it is all incorporated, slowly add the cream, a little at a time. When fully incorporated bring speed up to high and beat for 5-7 minutes.
Turn speed back down to low and add powdered sugar by Tbsp., tasting along the way. When it is sweet to your taste, beat again at high speed for a good 5 minutes to really break down any graininess that you might get from the powdered sugar.
Bring back down to low speed and beat for a while that way to get rid of air bubbles.
Recipe from Fields of Cake
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
these look so fun! i, too, am LI, but i carry lactaid with me everywhere… and jp licks makes a lactose free flavor 🙂
Lactaid is my best friend. I have spare pills in the car, in Hubby’s wallet, in my purse and desk. Can’t ever be too prepared! I have had their lactose free flavors and they’re quite tasty. I wish they had more than one a month though!
Ooooh. This looks too good. I’m gonna have to try that.
I love the idea of using the cone method for ice cream cupcakes. I hadn’t thought of that. That strawberry down the middle of the cupcake is so perfect! I’m so glad you entered again!
I wouldn’t be able to live without ice cream! Your cupcakes are beautiful. Good luck in the competition!!!
They look pretty! Love the photo of the cross section where you can see the strawberry.
~ingrid
Those cupcakes look scrumptious! Oh, and you’ve gotta try Purely Decadent made with Coconut Milk Ice Cream! It’s rich and creamy, a lot like gelatto!
Thanks Vegiegail – I’ll have to check that out.
So cute! These are so pretty with the strawberry in the middle and they look delicious.
voted for your strawberry one..good luck!
gorgeous. love the inset strawberry. love the Neapolitan theme.
bethany@scoopalicious
I agree with you about the non-dairy ice creams available in stores. However, If you have an ice cream maker vegan chick-0-stick ice cream is unbelievably rich, creamy and delicious.
Here is the recipe http://couldntbeparve.blogspot.com/2008/09/chick-o-stick-ice-cream_04.html
Hey, these cupcakes sound awesome! I use to be Lactose Int., but I found the best cure ever & seriously have been L.I. cured for 7 years. I could not give up my dairy & use to take 3 Lactaid every time I ate.I heard about “Lactogen” on the radio on the way home from a trip. I would do anything to get rid of my L.I. so it was $90.00 at the time so I said what the heck I spent $200.00 a year on Lactaid. I was floored that it worked & 7 years later still no signs. I drink milk every morning, cheese everyday, & ice cream when ever. It retrains your body to except lactose, so for 42 days while you take it (a mix to drink with water) you have to stay away from all dairy & anything with dairy in it. I just went to the health food store during that time. I am sure you can find it on the web. Lactogen is the name
This is my second post, it erased my first. But for all you suffering with Lactose Int. try Lactogen it really works I have been cured for going on 7 years now. It was only $90.00 when I tried it & I was spending $200 a year on Lactaid at the time. I now can drink milk every morning, & eat cheese every day & ice cream when ever. It is not an on going thing you take it once for 43 days & that is it.