"Soft and moist cupcakes flavored with almond extract, filled with homemade rhubarb custard and topped with fluffy strawberry buttercream"
Strawberry Rhubarb Cupcakes
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Prep time 30mins
Cook time 18mins
Serves or Makes: 24
Recipe Card
ingredients
Rhubarb Custard
- 6 ounces chopped rhubarb, fresh or frozen
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
- 2-3 drops pink food coloring, if desired
ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 3/4 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
ingredients
Strawberry Buttercream
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup good-quality strawberry jam
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon meringue powder (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
Custard
Step 1
In a saucepan, combine the rhubarb, sugar and water. Simmer over medium heat until the fruit is softened, and the liquid is syrupy and nearly evaporated. Scrape the rhubarb into a blender, and add the milk and corn starch; pulse several times until smooth. Scrape the blended mixture back into the saucepan, and whisk in the cream and egg yolks. While whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then boil for one minute until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter. Stir in a few drops of pink food coloring, if you like, to enhance the color.
Step 2
Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap resting right against the surface of the custard, and refrigerate until well chilled. The custard can be made a day in advance, if you like.
Cupcakes
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 and line a cupcake pan with 24 paper liners. For best results, let your dairy ingredients sit out for an hour or two to come to room temperature before mixing your cake batter.
Step 2
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream and extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and whisk until well combined and smooth, with a few remaining lumps. Divide the batter between the paper liners.
Step 3
Bake the cupcakes for about 15-18 minutes, until the centers spring back when lightly touched. Cool five minutes in the pan, and then carefully remove to a wire rack. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and cool completely.
Buttercream and Assembly
Step 1
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter with 1/4 cup of the jam until smooth. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar, meringue powder, salt and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until very light and fluffy. Add more jam, if needed, for extra strawberry flavor and for desired consistency.
Step 2
Use a cupcake corer to remove the centers of each cupcake. Spoon (or pipe) the chilled rhubarb custard into the centers of each cupcake. Fill a piping bag with the strawberry buttercream and pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices, if desired.