Strawberry Chamomile Cupcakes Video
Chef Jessica Craig of Almond Restaurant put together this cupcake recipe for us to share with you! She recently led us through a s’more brownie baking fundraiser with Givsly and added this video recipe as a bonus to get a taste of one of her signature desserts.
So, what is chamomile anyway? Chamomile is an edible flower that is commonly used in tea. It has a delicate herbal, floral taste. To add it to your cupcakes, you can simply purchase chamomile tea bags. You’ll need to open your teas bags and empty out the chamomile. It might already be ground up for you, in which case you’ll just need to measure the amount you need and then add it to your cupcake batter. Or, they might be whole flowers. In that case, you’ll need to finely chop them until they are small pieces that can be evenly dispersed in your cupcakes.
These cupcakes are delicate and delicious and worth the multiple steps. If it’s too much to do at once, we recommend breaking it down into three different steps, which can be done throughout the day or over multiple days—bake the cupcakes, make the frosting, and decorate. The decorating is where it gets really fun and you get to get creative. As Chef Jessica says, “It’s your creation. You can do what you want!”
Strawberry Chamomile Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground or chopped chamomile tea flowers
6 ounces butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup diced strawberries*
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Line two cupcake tins (24 cupcake molds total) with liners. Alternatively, you can bake one tray at a time, wait a few minutes until the cupcakes are cooled, remove them from the pan, reline the cupcake molds, and fill and bake again.
Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground chamomile flowers, and butter into the bowl of a standing mixer. Mix with the paddle attachment until the butter breaks down into the dried ingredients and forms a smooth paste. Alternatively, use a mixing bowl and hand mixer.
Measure 1 cup milk into a separate mixing bowl. Add the eggs and use a fork or whisk to mix it together.
Add half of the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix on low speed until it comes together. Once it does, mix on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the other half of the milk mixture and mix for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Add the chopped strawberries. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the strawberries until they're evenly dispersed.
Divide the batter into 24 cupcake molds lined with cupcake paper, filling each about three quarters of the way full.
Bake for 15-24 minutes. Baking time is heavily dependent on how powerful your oven is. Bake for 15 minutes and check every 3-4 minutes until baked through. Your cupcakes are done cooking when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Frost with buttercream frosting when the cupcakes are completely cooled.
*You can add up to 1/4 cup more of diced strawberries for stronger strawberry flavor without hurting this recipe*
Makes approximately two dozen cupcakes.
Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites (or 1/2 cup)
1 pound butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Directions:
Put the sugar and the egg whites in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the sugar and egg whites by placing the mixing bowl on top of a pot of simmering water fitted to the bowl to trap steam. The bottom of bowl should not touch the water.
Use a rubber spatula or whisk to stir the mixture until it is warm to the touch and the sugar is dissolved.
Once that is achieved put this mixture in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until a meringue is formed and the bowl is no longer hot to the touch. It should be much closer to room temperature, which may take a few minutes.
Add the butter in, a small piece at a time, allowing the meringue to absorb the butter after each addition. Once all the butter is added, add the salt and vanilla (if using).
Whisk until fluffy. Your frosting is ready!
Troubleshooting: If for any reason your buttercream looks broken or chunky, return it to the simmering pot and warm briefly. Whisk on high speed until it comes together. There's never too much mixing with a buttercream. It only makes it that much more fluffy and delicious!
Cupcake Assembly
Ingredients:
24 strawberry chamomile cupcakes
1 batch of buttercream frosting
Strawberries
Chopped or ground chamomile tea flowers
Directions:
Using an offset metal spatula or a piping bag fitted with a decorating tip, top your cupcakes with the frosting.
You can style them as you please. Some ideas include topping them with a cut strawberry or dusting with chopped or ground chamomile tea flowers (or both!). It's completely up to you! Enjoy!
Stay in touch with Chef Jessica on Instagram: