Ingredients
Scale
For the cake:
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter (one stick)
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup pureed strawberries
For the swiss meringue buttercream:
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1/2 cup pureed strawberries
- 1/4 cup finely chopped basil
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Whisk flour, salt, cardamom, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. About 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time beating completely before adding the next egg.
- Mix milk and vanilla together and while the mixer is on low add 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by 1/3 of the milk, keep alternating wet and dry ingredients until all are incorporated.
- Pour in the strawberries and mix to combine.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes spring back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
For the buttercream:
- Put eggs whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture reaches 160 degrees.
- Remove bowl from heat and attach the bowl to a mixer, whisk on medium-high speed for 5 minutes or until very stiff peaks form. Lower speed to medium and start adding butter one piece at a time until are all combined. Add in the chopped basil. Whisk until stiff peaks form again if you lost definition when adding the butter.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and on low speed slowly add a little bit of the strawberries, keep mixing and adding strawberries until all are combined. Whisk on medium speed to firm up the mixture.
- Frost the cupcakes and garnish with leftover strawberry puree and rose petals.