Bourbon Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

These Kentucky-style strawberry shortcake cupcakes combine a sweet vanilla cake, a simple syrup and bourbon drizzle, and creamy and light whipped cream frosting. They are then topped with fresh strawberries to make them the perfect strawberry cupcake treat that everyone will love!

Key ingredients for this recipe:

• All-purpose Flour: This gives the cupcakes their structure, and when combined with a bit of cake flour, it makes a wonderful texture.
• Cake Flour: Cake flour is a super low protein flour mixed with a bit of corn starch. This kind of flour helps to make really soft and tender cakes. 
• Sugar: Sugar is what makes these cupcakes so sweet. However, there's not too much; I'm not a fan of overly sweet desserts.
• Unsalted Butter: the butter provides flavor and helps the cake to rise when beaten with sugar. 
• Salt: Salt is the ultimate flavor enhancer, and fun fact, if you ever want a dessert to be sweeter, a lot of times, it means you need to up the salt and not the sugar.
• Baking powder: baking powder is the leavener in this recipe, and along with the eggs, helps the cookies to rise. 
• Eggs: The eggs in this recipe act as a binding agent for all the ingredients.
• Milk: The milk adds both moisture and flavor to this recipe. 
• Vanilla extract: In addition to the sugar, the vanilla provides sweetness and flavor. 
• Bourbon: this ingredient is optional, but it does add a nice kick of flavor to the cupcakes. 
• Whipping cream: the frosting for these cupcakes is fresh whipped cream, which makes a delightfully light icing. 
• Powder sugar: I've found that mixing the whipping cream with powder sugar makes a thicker and sturdier cream.
• Fresh Strawberries: because it wouldn't be a strawberry shortcake without the fresh strawberries!

Tips and tricks for making this recipe:

• Thoroughly whip the sugar and Butter together. This will help make a light and fluffy cake.
• Poke some good and deep holes in the cupcakes, so that syrup can fully penetrate the cupcake. The drizzle not only provides flavor to the cupcakes but moisture as well. Make sure the cupcakes absorb all of the syrup to ensure a super moist cake. 
• Use all the drizzle!
• If you don't want to add bourbon, skip adding it to the syrup. 
• Using powder sugar instead of granulated sugar in the whipped cream helps to make it a thick and sturdy frosting.

How to keep and store this recipe:

Once frosted, these cupcakes should be eaten the same day, but once drizzled with the simple syrup, they will keep for 1-2 days in an air-tight container.

Here's a video showing how to make this recipe:

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Kentucky Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

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• Author: pate giltner
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x

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Description

These Kentucky-style strawberry shortcake cupcakes combine a sweet vanilla cake, a simple syrup and bourbon drizzle, and creamy and light whipped cream frosting. They are then topped with fresh strawberries to make them the perfect strawberry cupcake treat that everyone will love!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the cupcakes

1. 1 cup all-purpose flour 
2. 1/2 cup cake flour 
3. 1/2 tsp salt 
4. 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
5. 1 cup sugar 
6. 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons)
7. 2 eggs
8. 1/2 cup milk
9. 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 

For the simple syrup 

1. 1/4 cup sugar 
2. 1/4 cup water
3. 1/4 cup bourbon  

 

For the whipped cream:

1. 2 cups whipping cream 
2. 4 tablespoons powder sugar 
3. 1 tsp vanilla extract
4. 1lb fresh strawberries or more for garnishes

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a cupcake tin. 
2. Whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt together in a medium and set aside. 
3. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. 3-5 minutes. 
4. Add in the eggs and mix thoroughly. 
5. Mix the milk and the flour mixture in a little at a time. Mix until the batter has absorbed all the milk and there are no flour spots left. 
6. Divide the batter into 12 cupcake molds. 
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. 
8. While the cupcakes are baking, make the simple syrup. Heat the water and sugar in a small pot on medium-high heat until all of the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has fully melted, add in the bourbon and set it aside. 
9. Make the whipped cream but beating the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until it forms stiff peaks. 
10. Frost the cupcakes with the whipped cream and top with halved strawberries. 

Notes

• Thoroughly whip the sugar and butter together. This will help make a light and fluffy cake.
• Poke some good and deep holes in the cupcakes, so that syrup can fully penetrate the cupcake. The drizzle not only provides flavor to the cupcakes but moisture as well. Make sure the cupcakes absorb all of the syrup to ensure a super moist cake. 
• Use all the drizzle!
• If you don't want to add bourbon, skip adding it to the syrup. 
• Using powder sugar instead of granulated sugar in the whipped cream helps to make it a thick and sturdy frosting.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: baking
• Cuisine: american

Keywords: Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes