Strawberry Jam Cupcakes

Strawberry jam filled cupcakes are so easy to make from scratch!! Curd or yogurt makes the cake soft and moist.

Do you know what is best thing about strawberry jam?? well, the answer is simple...you can have strawberries when they are not in season....and make cupcakes or cakes....when you have that strawberry craving ....like I had!

I know summer is not the best time to bake, at least when ice creams and frappuccinos are ruling.....but, I-had-to-eat-a-strawberry-cup-cake-feeling; which was overpowering!!

So I ransacked my refrigerator and found two jars of organic strawberry jam which I bought from Nelliyampathy Hills and I had completely forgotten about them (HOW-COULD-I??).

Like any strawberry-holic, I opened the can and dipped my finger in it and ....yum!! it transported me to strawberry land.....they were so good!

If you have fresh strawberries at hand, don't bother the jam, use fresh ones...puree them in a blender or food processor....about 1/3 to 1/2 cup pureed berries would be fine.....for those like me...who do not have access to fresh strawberries...use store-bought jam.....remember the cake I baked using fresh strawberries.

Author: Nisa Homey.

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Baking time: 20 min.

Ingredients:

Please note that for all my baking and cooking, I use 200 ml cup. Pls note all ingredients should be at room temperature.

Flour: 1 2/3 cup.

Baking Powder: 1/2 tsp.

Baking Soda: 1/4 tsp.

Salt: A fat pinch.

Sugar: 1 cup.

Butter: 1/2 cup/1 stick, melted.

Egg: 1 large.

Milk: 1/2 cup.

Curd/ plain yogurt: 1/2 cup. (I used homemade).

Strawberry Jam: 1/3 cup.

Vanilla extract: 1 tsp.

Extra jam to top the cakes: A tsp each on each cupcake

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degree C.

Lightly grease muffin pan or line the pan with cup cake liners. Keep them aside.

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients ie the flour, BP, BS, and salt...keep aside.

Plop 1 stick butter into a large bowl or saucepan....place it over medium heat, just until the butter starts to melt. Remove from heat.

Add in 1 cup sugar....since we are using granulated sugar it will be a bit gritty...but never mind....cream for a min with hand beater.

Add in 1 egg, cream for 30 seconds.

Pour in 1/2 cup milk and vanilla extract.

And 1/2 cup curd..

Cream well for another 30-40 seconds or until well combined.

Add in the dry ingredients.

And cream or whisk/fold the dry ingredients into the wet mix..

Now here comes the jam which I was telling you about, these are organic and since the berries are small....it is not chopped up....whole small strawberries.

I measured about 1/3 cup of jam...

And carefully folded into the batter....okay, I admit...I did lick the spatula...it was so good..

Since I used my non-stick muffin pan, I did not use cupcake liners....so into the lightly greased pan, with my ice cream scoop...I just scooped out one scoop of batter ....and plop them in...wow! so easy and no mess!! You should try this way...when you make cupcakes.

You know, when it comes to strawberries...I just cant hold myself...so I topped a tsp of the jam on top of the batter....and they were carefully placed in the oven....for about 18-20 min...or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.