Description
These vibrant Strawberry Mango Cupcakes combine the sweet and tangy flavors of fresh strawberries and ripe mangoes in a beautifully layered and frosted treat. Featuring moist cupcakes tinted with natural food gels and enhanced with fruit flavorings, topped with smooth American or Swiss meringue buttercream, and finished with a decorative sugar rim and fresh fruit wedges, these cupcakes are perfect for a festive gathering or special celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes:
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups caster sugar (extra fine granulated sugar)
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups full cream milk (whole milk)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pink and red food gel (for strawberry flavor)
- 1 tsp strawberry flavoring
- Yellow food gel (for mango flavor)
- 1 tsp mango flavoring
Frosting:
- 1 batch American or Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Pink and red food gels for strawberry frosting
- Yellow food gel for mango frosting
- Strawberry and mango flavorings
Decorations:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 10 limes, cut into 40 wedges
- 10 strawberries, halved
Instructions
- Prep and Bake: Preheat your oven to 275°F (140°C) if using fan-forced heat or 320°F (160°C) for a conventional oven. Line two cupcake tins with cupcake liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, caster sugar, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Add the softened unsalted butter and blend until the mixture becomes crumbly in texture.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, full cream milk, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt or sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Divide and Color Batter: Split the batter evenly into two separate bowls. To one bowl, add pink and red food gels along with strawberry flavoring to create the strawberry batter. To the other bowl, add yellow food gel and mango flavoring for the mango batter.
- Fill Liners: Using a piping bag or spoon, alternate layering the strawberry and mango batters into each cupcake liner to create a visually appealing marbled effect.
- Bake: Place the cupcake tins in the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a cupcake; it should come out clean. Once baked, allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: Make a batch of either American or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting. Divide the frosting into two portions, and tint one with pink and red food gels and strawberry flavoring, and the other with yellow food gel and mango flavoring.
- Sugar Rim: Lightly dip the rims of the cooled cupcakes into water, then roll them in granulated sugar to create a sparkling sugar rim that mimics a margarita glass.
- Pipe Frosting: Use a piping bag to swirl the strawberry and mango-flavored frostings on top of each cupcake, alternating for a colorful presentation.
- Decorate: Garnish each cupcake by placing a lime wedge and a strawberry half on top, adding a fresh and tangy finishing touch.
Notes
- You can substitute Greek yogurt with sour cream as desired; both add moisture and tenderness.
- Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature for optimal mixing with dry ingredients.
- If food gels are unavailable, natural fruit purees can be used but may alter texture and color intensity.
- The cupcakes can be baked a day ahead; store in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
- For a vegan adaptation, substitute eggs with flax eggs and use a plant-based milk and vegan butter for frosting.
- The sugar rim adds an optional festive touch and can be omitted if preferred.
- To ensure even layers, pipe the batter slowly and evenly into each cupcake liner.
