Perfectly sweet and fluffy vanilla cupcakes filled with sweet, tart cranberry filling and topped with a silky white chocolate buttercream -- perfect for the holidays! www.thereciperebel.com
1cupcranberriesI used frozen, but fresh would also work
1tspvanilla
1tspcorn starch
Frosting
1/3cupchopped white chocolate or chips
1tablespooncream (any kind)
1/4cupbuttersoftened
1 1/2cupsicing sugar
1tspvanilla
Instructions
Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, and beat until combined. Add milk and vanilla and beat until combined.
Add flour, baking powder, and salt and beat just until combined.
Fill muffin cups about ⅔-3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
Set aside to cool.
Filling: In a medium pot, combine sugar, water, cranberries, vanilla and corn starch (make sure there are no lumps of corn starch before you begin cooking). Bring to a simmer and cook 3-5 minutes, until cranberries start to soften and burst, and the sauce has thickened.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Frosting (make just before using -- this frosting firms up nicely so it's difficult to pipe after it's been refrigerated)Combine white chocolate and milk in a medium bowl or measuring cup and microwave on high in 20-30 second intervals, stirring each time, until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and fluffy.
Add chocolate, icing sugar and vanilla and beat on low for 1-2 minutes until the sugar is incorporated. Beat on medium-high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Set aside.
Assembly: Using a sharp knife, cut a small hole into the top of each cupcake, making sure not to cut through the bottom or any of the sides. Set cake pieces aside for another use (they're great for trifle, or just for munching!)
Spoon about 1 tsp of filling into the top of each cupcake.
Spread or pipe frosting on top of cupcake, completely covering the filling. If desired, garnish with additional cranberries and colored sprinkles or sugar.
Refrigerate if not serving for quite a while. Remove from the fridge 20 minutes before serving to allow the frosting to soften slightly, as it firms up quite a bit in the fridge.
Notes
*These can be made in stages. I made my cupcakes and filling one day, and I put my filled cupcakes into a container and in the freezer for about 3 days until I had time to frost them. I made the frosting the day I photographed and served them. You could definitely freeze them completely frosted, as long as they come close to room temperature before serving as the chocolate in the frosting sets up quite firmly when cooled.