Azalea Ladies' Spa & Wellness 

Ingredients

1 ½ cups gluten free all-purpose flour blend
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 plus 1/3 cup organic sugar, divided use
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, divided use
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 pints fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups cold heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup sugar on high speed for 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Turn the mixer to low, add half the flour mixture, then the sour cream, and finally the remaining flour. Mix until combined. With a spatula, scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to ensure all ingredients are well combined. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tins. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, reserve a few strawberries for garnish, slice the rest and mix with 1/3 cup sugar and lemon juice. Let sit for 15 – 20 minutes tossing occasionally. Lightly mash the strawberries with a fork.

Cut a hole about as wide as a quarter and about ½ inch or so deep into the top of each cooled cupcake. Spoon the strawberry mixture into the holes (you can reserve some of the strawberries and syrup to drizzle on top of the frosted cupcakes if you wish.)

Whip the cream with the remaining 1 tablespoon of vanilla and the powdered sugar until it forms peaks. Frost each cupcake with the whipped cream. Slice the reserved strawberries and garnish.

Servings:

A gluten free recipe that makes 12 cupcakes.