By Lidia Rodriguez and Ashley Xu

While Valentine’s Day as we know it today is a celebration of love, the holiday can be traced back to many European folk traditions. In Norfolk, England, for example, a mystical character named Jack Valentine is fabled to knock on the back door of houses on February 14, leaving sweets and presents for children. In Slovenia, the proverb “Saint Valentine brings the keys of roots” recognizes Valentine’s Day as the day when fruits, flowers, and plants begin to grow, marking the advent of spring. To celebrate these lesser-known Valentine’s Day traditions, us two editors would like to share our favorite Valentine’s Day recipe with the Winsor community: white chocolate strawberry cupcakes. With delicious springtime flavors, these cupcakes are perfect for gift-giving and enjoying with friends!

Ingredients:

• Cupcakes
  • 1 ¾ cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 egg whites
  • ¼ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup strawberry puree, reduced
• White Chocolate Strawberry Frosting
  • 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 6 ounces white chocolate, melted
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners
2. Whisk cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
3. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. 
4. Beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined. 
5. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. 
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients until incorporated. 
7. Whisk in ¼ cups of reduced strawberry puree.
8. Pour batter into cupcake liners, fill only ⅔ of the way. Bake for 20–22 minutes. 

White Chocolate Strawberry Frosting

1. Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat the butter for one minute on high speed until completely smooth.
3. Add confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, melted white chocolate, two tablespoons heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until combined.
4. Frost cooled cupcakes and serve!

Link: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/white-chocolate-strawberry-cupcakes/