Fresh and Easy Strawberry Glazed Vanilla Cupcakes

^{This post has been sponsored by Mark T. Wendell. All opinions expressed are my own.}

Fresh strawberries take centerstage in today's Fresh and Easy Strawberry Glazed Vanilla Cupcakes recipe. To complete the recipe, we're serving the cupcakes alongside Mark T. Wendell's Organic Berry Tea Blend, and we're garnishing the cupcakes with something a little unexpected- hibiscus from Mark T. Wendell's Hibiscus Flower Green Tea.

I was so inspired by the Organic Berry Tea Blend that I immediately wanted to showcase those flavors with an inspired cake bite. Cupcakes are just the perfect answer when you're craving something sweet but want to present an elegant display.

Now, while cake frosting may not be my forte, let me just say that if you also aren't the most naturally gifted cake decorator like yours truly, this fresh strawberry glaze is the answer. It's very easy and approachable to make, but the pink hue is absolutely beautiful, and the result is like a glazed donut.

Fresh and Easy Strawberry Glazed Vanilla Cupcakes -What to Expect

Taste and Texture:

As I just mentioned, imagine a glazed baked donut but in cupcake form. The cupcakes are light and moist but not too crumbly.

You can use strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries for the glaze. I pureed the berries first and whisked until smooth. You can strain the puree for a smoother glaze, but I like the bits of pink from the berries.

Difficulty Level:

As far as baking goes, this is a very accessible recipe. If you ever need a simple vanilla cupcake, this is your go-to. Dress it up however you like, and what's more, it is a good base recipe if you want to add mix-ins.

Preparation Process:

I cannot say there's anything you need to keep in mind beforehand when making today's recipe since I've used oil over butter (I'll explain why below). The glaze is only three simple ingredients, and if you have any more left over, you can store it for another recipe (or even dip fruit in it).

Springtime / Tea Time

There's something so beautiful about a freshly brewed cup of tea on a brisk spring day. Like the blossoming flowers and bright green buds around us, Mark T. Wendell's spring collection perfectly captures the feeling of renewal and vitality.

Their spring teas are so fragrant and delicious- perfect on their own, with a sandwich, cookies, or cake! Served hot or cold, they will equally delight!

Mark T. Wendell's loose-leaf teas are the perfect gift to give to yourself or a loved one, and their wide variety will always keep you both delighted and surprised. When you use the code 'LivingtheGourmet' at checkout, you'll get 15% off an order of $50 or more, so stock up on some spring teas today!

The Art of Brewing

Brewing your tea leaves isn't any more work than buying already-bagged tea. Though if you want, Mark T. Wendell offers a wide array of whole leaf teas in biodegradable bags as well as their biodynamic line of Hampstead Organic Tea.

However, when it comes to their loose teas, they come beautifully packaged in tin containers that you can use to store other teas or any keepsakes. Furthermore, it's easy to brew a pot or a single cup with your own individual bags, as I have for today's post. Be sure to read our article on How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea for the full step-by-step guide!

Ingredient Checklist

For the vanilla cupcakes

• 2½ cups cake flour - The goal for these cupcakes was to achieve the lightest cake. That starts with flour. Cake flour, as opposed to all-purpose flour, has a low protein content, which translates to less gluten development, therefore, a lighter, more crumbly result.
  • Substitution: Yes, you can use all-purpose flour if you don't have cake flour on hand, but you can also make your cake flour with two ingredients that you probably have on hand: all-purpose flour and cornstarch. To do so, measure 1 level cup of AP flour. Replace two leveled tablespoons of flour with two leveled tablespoons of cornstarch. Then sift together. Repeat this for however many cups of cake flour you may need. Voila, you have cake flour.
• 2 teaspoons baking powder - There's no acidity in this recipe, so you want baking powder, not baking soda. Baking powder already contains sodium bicarbonate as well as acid, so it only needs liquid to activate. This is, of course, so your cupcakes rise!
• 1 cup granulated sugar - Plain sugar is all you need.
• 1 cup neutral oil - some find this ingredient controversial, but let me explain, and then you can decide if you prefer oil or butter.
  • Notes: Flavorwise butter is supreme. As the old saying goes, butter makes everything taste better. However, we're after texture here. We want to produce a cake that is as light and airy as the box mix you get from the store. Oil's neutrality allows for other ingredients to shine, but more importantly, it produces a more tender cake and also allows the cake to stay moist longer because no one likes a stale cake the next day.
• 3 large eggs - 3 whole eggs work best for today's recipe, or 2 jumbo eggs.
• 3/4 cup whole milk - I like to bake with whole milk for full fat and flavor, though you can certainly use any nut milk or dairy-free alternative you have on hand.
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract - These are vanilla cupcakes, after all, so you want a good amount to shine through.
• Pinch of salt - I never understood the importance of salt in baked goods, but trust me, it's very important. It helps balance and bring out the flavors.

For the strawberry glaze

• 2 cups confectioner's sugar - the base for any glaze or frosting. Make sure you sift the sugar before whisking to avoid any clumps in your glaze.
• 2 tablespoons melted butter - the key to a good setting glaze is melted butter; plus it adds more flavor!
• *½ cup strawberry puree - Strawberry puree is just blended strawberries. Start with 1/4 cup, and if you find the batter is still too thick, add a tablespoon more at a time until you get the desired consistency. You want it to be loose enough to dip the cupcakes.

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And that is our Fresh and Easy Strawberry Glazed Vanilla Cupcakes. If you enjoyed this recipe or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below; we always love hearing from you.

Happy Baking!

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