Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes with Balsamic Whipped Cream

As a child, I loved Strawberry Shortcake

and I loved jump roping and singing about strawberry shortcake.

 Yes, I realize that you can't really understand this girl, but it was the best strawberry shortcake jump rope video that I could find.

But, I never actually ate strawberry shortcake because I didn't like whipped cream. This was due to the fact that I never had fresh whipped cream. Fresh whipped cream = WOW! Whipped cream in the can = Eww. No thanks! Call me a whipped cream snob - I don't care!

When I made my olive oil cupcakes with balsamic whipped cream, Katy of Sugarlaws said that she used the balsamic whipped cream in a strawberry shortcake.  I filed the idea away until now!  No one could tell what the secret ingredient was in the whipped cream (especially because I used white balsamic)  - they just knew that they LOVED it!

The Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake Recipe

I adapted the strawberry shortcakes on Allrecipes to make my strawberry shortcake cupcakes, and I used the balsamic whipped cream recipe from Sugarlaws.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

• 1 lb fresh strawberries, roughly chopped
• 1/4 C sugar
• 2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 2 T sugar
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 C unsalted butter (unlike most cupcake recipes, the butter should be straight out of the refrigerator, not room temperature)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2/3 C milk
• 1 C heavy cream
• 1/4 C sugar (or more, your preference)
• 2 T balsamic vinegar (It will look prettier if you use white balsamic vinegar.)

1. Slice the strawberries and toss them with 1/2 cup of white sugar. Set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl (don't use your electric mixer, make this recipe by hand to avoid over mixing) combine the flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and the salt.
3. Cut in the butter and mix by hand until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg and milk. 
5. Stir until just combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake wrappers.
7. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Let cool partially in pan on wire rack.
9. While the cupcakes are cooling, whip heavy whipping cream until it looks like whipped cream.
10. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar and balsamic vinegar until just combined.
11. Slice partially cooled cupcakes in half, making two layers. 
12. Place half of the strawberries on one layer and top with some whipped cream.
13. Replace the top halves of the cupcakes.
14. Top with remaining strawberries and cover with the whipped cream. 

Waffling

Next up, what happens when these strawberry shortcake cupcakes meet the waffle iron?