Strawberry Gin Cocktail and Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
This post has recipes for a Strawberry Gin Cocktail and Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes. A fresh fruit and citrus cocktail and a deliciously creamy cupcake with fresh strawberries…who could ask for more?These recipes are perfect for Valentine’s Day, a special occasion or for anyone who loves strawberries!
The adventures of a Cocktail and a Cupcake continue and this time it’s all things Strawberry!! We picked an entire flat of Hood Strawberries and I couldn’t wait to make anything and everything with them! Here are the recipes for a Strawberry Gin Cocktail and Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes.
First, the cocktail! I came up with this drink using all of my favorite things: gin, strawberries, elderflower and lime. I added an egg white to add an extra creamy and frothy texture, but you can omit if you want to.
Strawberry Gin Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz Gin
- 1 oz Elderflower Liqueur (I used St. Germain)
- ½ lime, juiced
- ⅓ cup fresh strawberries, rinsed and stems removed
- 1 large egg white
- 1 strawberry for garnish
Instructions
- Place strawberries, lime juice and the half lime that was juiced in the bottom of the shaker and muddle together for about 20-30 seconds.
- Add gin, elderflower liqueur and egg white. Place on lid and dry shake (no ice) for about 20 seconds.
- Remove lid, add ice and continue to shake for another 20-30 seconds.
- Double strain into your favorite glass. This takes a little patience because the strawberries can create a little clog once in a while. Just use a spoon to move them aside on your strainer.
- Garnish with a strawberry and enjoy!
Notes
*The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers it safe to use raw eggs if they are pasteurized. Bottom Line: Raw eggs may contain a type of pathogenic bacteria called Salmonella, which can cause food poisoning. However, the risk of an egg being contaminated is quite low. Please proceed at your own risk and decide if you are ok with this. I have never had an issue.
And now, the cupcakes! I made mini cupcakes because I knew these were going to be very rich. Plus, you can have more than one and not feel as guilty ?.
Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1½ tbsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup fresh strawberries, chopped into small pieces
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3-3½ cups powdered confectioner sugar
- 3 tbsp vegetable shortening (or unsalted butter)
- ½ cup cream cheese
- red gel food coloring
- graham cracker crumbles for topping (optional)
Instructions
Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 32°5 and prepare a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Place flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in mixer and beat on low speed until combined.
- Pour in milk and vanilla and turn up speed to medium.
- Add egg and continue mixing until the batter is smooth.
- Make a thin layer of strawberries at the bottom of each cupcake liner.
- Fill each cup with batter and bake for 18-20 minutes for mini cupcakes.
- Remove from over when toothpick comes out clean, let them sit in pan for a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Start with shortening and cream cheese in mixer and beat until smooth.
- Add confectioners sugar ½ cup at a time until desired sweetness is achieved. Add gel food coloring and mix until combined.
- Frost cooled cupcakes, garnish with graham cracker crumbles if desired and enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t want mini cupcakes, this recipe will make 12 regular sized cupcakes.
- Cupcake recipe inspired by Hummingbird Bakery cookbook.
I wasn’t happy about the color of the frosting (electric pink was not what I was going for), but they tasted so good I just went with it. Next time, I think I will leave it white or try a different pink. These cupcakes have cut up fresh strawberries at the bottom and homemade cheesecake frosting on top sprinkled with crunched up graham crackers. Since they are mini, you can eat them in 1 or 2 bites and they seriously taste just like Strawberry Cheesecake!
