As a kid I LOVED Nesquik milkshake, they were my favourite, a treat as we couldn't have too many, they were quite high in sugar I remember and i was a VERY hyperactive child!
As an adult i kind of forgot about them, but when i was going to visit a very pregnant friend and asked what her sweet cravings were (as I never turn up without a bake) she said - Strawberry milkshake.
So, these cupcakes were a no brainier.
I use pureed strawberries so they're not overly sweet, and the pureed strawberries need to be done about an hour before hand so they have time to reduce and cool.
This batch will make 20 - 24 cupcakes (they're perfect for kids parties) but simply halve the recipe if you want less.
Strawberry essence can be bought in most supermarkets - I used Flavours - which you can buy in Lakeland. - but its not integral to these cupcakes so don't stress is you cant get it.
Recipe
Ingredients
450g Strawberries - washed hulled and chopped - this will give you about 1/2 a mug of puree
170g Stork baking spread of softened Unsalted butter
350g Caster Sugar
1tsp Vanilla essence
1tsp strawberry essence (optional)
4 Eggs
250g Self raising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt
60 ml Plain yoghurt
50 ml Whole or Semi-skimmed milk, mixed with 2 tablespoon strawberry milkshake powder
Icing
4oz softened unsalted butter or stork baking spread
10oz icing sugar
4 tablespoon strawberry milkshake powder mixed with 1 tablespoon milk to form a loose paste
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp strawberry essence (optional)
1 - Puree the strawberries then place in a small pan and lightly simmer until they've reduced by half - this should give you about 1/2 standard mug/cup of puree.
Leave to cool for an hour.
Oven at 170*C 2 cupcake trays filled with cases
2 - Cream together the butter and sugar until its goes light and fluffy, and then add the vanilla essence and strawberry essence if using.
3 - Mix in the strawberry puree well and then add in the eggs one at a time.
4 - In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl
5 - In a measuring jug mix the yoghurt, milk and strawberry milkshake powder.
6 - Add half of the flour mixture to the cake mix, followed by half the yoghurt mixture, then the rest of the flour and the last of the yoghurt mix, folding in well after each addition.
7 - Put heaped dessert spoons worth in each cupcake case - making sure not to overfill, they shouldn't be more than half full.
8 - Bake for approx 25 minutes or until bouncy to the touch and cooked through.
Leave to cool on a cooling rack.
9 - For the icing, using an electric mixer whip the butter along with the vanilla essence, milkshake powder paste and strawberry essence if using.
10 - Add the icing sugar and keep mixing til you have a fluffy pipe-able icing - if its too firm or powdery just add milk a half teaspoon at a time.
11 - Pipe onto your cool cupcakes (or just dollop on and smooth with the back of a spoon if you don't feel confident piping) and sprinkle with whatever you fancy.
Enjoy!
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