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October 1, 2022 Paid Video

Dia de los Muertos Cake

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September 30, 2022 Blog

Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe (Super Moist)

This is the best chocolate cupcake recipe with a creamy mock Swiss meringue chocolate buttercream. This easy cupcake recipe comes together quickly with no special equipment required. Pair it with chocolate buttercream for a chocolate lover, strawberry buttercream for a springtime dessert, or cream cheese frosting for a perfect birthday treat.chocolate cupcake on a plate

These homemade cupcakes are similar to my famous easy chocolate cake recipe and easy buttercream frosting, but even easier to make! Even my daughter, Avalon could make these cupcakes at 5 years old. The trick is warming your wet ingredients and not over-mixing the batter so that it stays cohesive and doesn't separate.

Table of contents

  • Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients
  • Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients
  • Making Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Making Chocolate Buttercream
  • FAQ
  • Related Recipes

Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients

chocolate cupcake ingredients.

Oil – Cocoa powder is very drying so to make your chocolate cupcakes moist, you will need oil. Some recipes use butter (like mine) for added flavor and texture but oil really helps create moist cupcakes.

Warm Buttermilk – Not only does the warm buttermilk help bloom the cocoa powder, it also makes the cupcakes super tender and moist. 

Espresso powder - This is an optional ingredient, but helps make them delicious. It doesn't make your cupcakes taste like coffee, it just enhances the flavor of the chocolate. I use hot coffee in my chocolate cake recipe, so it has a similar effect without adding extra liquid.

Brown Sugar - Did you know that white sugar is just brown sugar with the moisture removed? It adds a depth of flavor that is delicious, just make sure to sift it to remove any hard lumps. That moisture is called molasses. If you want to add moisture to a recipe, replace half the white sugar with brown sugar.

Cocoa powder - Really any kind of cocoa powder will work for these cupcakes. You can also use dutch-process cocoa powder for a darker color and more intense flavor, or natural cocoa powder for a more milk chocolate flavor.

Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients

chocolate buttercream ingredients

Pasteurized egg whites - Many meringue-based frostings use eggs as a key ingredient. This chocolate buttercream is a mock-Swiss meringue buttercream where you skip the step of heating the eggs with sugar. Pasteurized egg whites are heat treated and are safe to eat without cooking and normally come in a carton. If you only have fresh eggs, I suggest making my chocolate Swiss meringue recipe.

Making Chocolate Cupcakes

  1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and prepare your cupcake pan with paper liners.
  2. For the best results, warm the buttermilk in the microwave (roughly 100ºF), bring the butter to room temperature, and warm the eggs in hot water for 5 minutes. Warm ingredients will create an emulsion and a smoother batter.
  3. Combine the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla together and set it aside.hand pouring vanilla into bowl with buttermilk and oil.
  4. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder in a mixing bowl and set it aside.hand adding cocoa powder to other dry ingredients in a bowl.
  5. Cream together the butter, white sugar and sifted brown sugar in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use the whisk attachment and a hand mixer, but I would mix the rest of the ingredients by hand to avoid overmixing. hand adding brown sugar to stand mixer bowl with butter and sugar.
  6. Add in the eggs one at a time while mixing on low, letting the first one mix in before adding the second. Scrape the bowl to be sure that everything is mixed well.hand adding eggs one at a time to to the stand mixer.
  7. While mixing on low speed, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients, followed by ⅓ of the wet ingredients. Alternate two more times until just combined.adding ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the stand mixer bowl.hand adding portion of the buttermilk mixture to the stand mixer. finished chocolate cupcake batter in the stand mixer.
  8. Fill your cupcake liners ½ of the way full. This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes.hand using a cupcake scoop to scoop batter into a cupcake liner.
  9. Bake the cupcakes at 350°F for 18-20 minutes until set. Do not overbake.hand placing cupcake pans into oven.
  10. Cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.2 trays of baked chocolate cupcakes.

Making Chocolate Buttercream

  1. Place the pasteurized egg whites, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder into the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on high for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar.hand adding pasteurized egg whites to cocoa powder and powdered sugar in a bowl. photo of mixed egg whites, cocoa powder and powdered sugar.
  2. Add the vanilla, salt, and softened butter in small chunks, then whip on high until light and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes. Once it no longer tastes like butter, it's done.hand adding chunks of softened butter to the stand mixer.
  3. If your buttercream looks curdled, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until it is barely melted. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.hand pouring heated buttercream portion back into stand mixing bowl.
  4. Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for about 10 minutes to remove the air bubbles and create super smooth buttercream. This is optional but will make it extra creamy.chocolate buttercream mixing in a stand mixer.
  5. Frost the cupcakes as desired. I used a 2F piping tip and a piping bag for mine.piping frosting onto a chocolate cupcake.

FAQ

What makes a cupcake moist?

Oil is important for making moist chocolate cupcakes, but too much oil in a recipe will cause the wrappers to peel away from the cupcake. Some people add sour cream for moisture, but I prefer buttermilk for that moisture and acidity.

How do you make chocolate cupcakes fluffy?

If you want to make sure your cupcakes are very fluffy, you want to cream the butter and sugar together really well. I have had a lot of really delicious cupcake recipes that come together in one bowl with no creaming required but the texture is fudgy rather than fluffy. 

How do you make a chocolate cupcake recipe with a dome? 

I used to think it was a problem with the recipe that I was using but the secret to a perfectly domed cupcake is actually how full you fill the cupcake liner. You only need to fill the cupcake liner ½ to ⅔ full. If you over-fill then your batter will rise up and then collapse over the edge. 

What is the best way to fill cupcake liners?

You can use a medium cookie scoop to get your batter in your liners or you can even put your pan on a scale and pipe your batter into the liners for the ultimate accuracy!

bite taken out of a chocolate cupcake

Related Recipes

Moist Vanilla Cupcakes

Eggless Chocolate Cake

Italian Meringue Buttercream

Ermine Frosting

Recipe

chocolate cupcake on a plate
Print Recipe
4.87 from 74 votes

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

The ultimate chocolate cupcakes with tons of rich chocolate flavor thanks to buttermilk, brown sugar, and a touch of oil. These chocolate cupcakes have a very moist crumb and bake up with a nice little dome that's perfect for a swirl of chocolate buttercream frosting!
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Calories: 373kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • Mixer with whisk and paddle attachment (stand or handheld)

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 5 ounces unsalted butter softened (½ cup + 2 Tbsp)
  • 6 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup)
  • 4 ounces brown sugar sifted (½ cup)
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces all-purpose flour (1 ¾ cup)
  • 2 ounces cocoa powder dutched or natural (½ cup)
  • 1 Tablespoon espresso powder (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 10 ounces buttermilk warm (1 ¼ cup)
  • 2 ounces vegetable oil (¼ cup)

For the chocolate frosting

  • 4 ounces pasteurized egg whites (½ cup)
  • 16 ounces powdered sugar (2 cups)
  • 3 ounces cocoa powder sifted (⅓ cup)
  • 16 ounces unsalted butter softened (2 cups)
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Preheat your oven to 350ºF and prepare your cupcake pan with paper liners.
  • For the best results, warm the buttermilk in the microwave (roughly 100ºF), bring the butter to room temperature, and warm the eggs in hot water for 5 minutes. Warm ingredients will create an emulsion and a smoother batter.
  • Combine the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla together and set it aside.
  • Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder in a mixing bowl and set it aside.
  • Cream together the butter, white sugar and sifted brown sugar in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use the whisk attachment and a hand mixer, but I would mix the rest of the ingredients by hand to avoid overmixing. 
  • Add in the eggs one at a time while mixing on low, letting the first one mix in before adding the second. Scrape the bowl to be sure that everything is mixed well.
  • While mixing on low speed, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients, followed by ⅓ of the wet ingredients. Alternate two more times until just combined.
  • Fill your cupcake liners ½ to ⅔ of the way full. This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes.
  • Bake the cupcakes at 350°F for 18-20 minutes until set. Do not over bake.
  • Cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.

Easy Chocolate Buttercream

  • Place the pasteurized egg whites, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder into the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on high for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
  • Add the vanilla, salt, and softened butter in small chunks, then whip on high until light and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes. Once it no longer tastes like butter, it's done.
  • If your buttercream looks curdled, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until it is barely melted. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
  • Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for about 10 minutes to remove the air bubbles and create super smooth buttercream. This is optional but will make it extra creamy.
  • Frost the cupcakes as desired. I used a 2F piping tip and a piping bag for mine.

Video

Notes

  1. For the best rise, fill your liners ⅔ with cupcake batter or 1 ½ ounces per cupcake
  2. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing your batter (milk, butter, eggs). 
  3. Use clear vanilla extract for that “classic grocery store cake” flavor. Use good quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even a vanilla bean for true vanilla flavor. One vanilla bean = 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. 
  4. Preheat your oven to 350ºF for 30 minutes before baking to give your cupcakes a good rise and set the dome. 
  5. Baked cupcakes can be frozen for up to 6 months.
  6. Buttermilk is essential to this recipe because it adds flavor and moisture. If you have whole milk and white vinegar or lemons, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.
  7. If you don't have a paddle attachment, mix by hand with a spatula to avoid overmixing. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 706IU | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

September 28, 2022 Recipe

Homemade Crepe Suzette Recipe

Crêpes Suzette is one of the most famous French desserts made from homemade crepes and a delicious caramelized sauce made of butter, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and Grand Marnier. Flambé it right before serving to enjoy that amazing orange flavor. The alcohol burns off quickly leaving the caramelized orange sauce behind. My mouth is watering just thinking about it again.scoop of ice cream on top of crepes suzette

I was extremely happy to learn from our resident pastry chef, Christophe Rull, this is an extremely easy crepes suzette recipe. I always had it in my mind they would be very hard and you had to have a special crepe pan. The batter comes together in a flash and we just used a regular non-stick pan. My favorite part was adding the cinnamon to the flambé and wow what a show!plate of crepes suzette with orange slices

A crêpe is a little like thin pancakes but it does not contain any baking powder. The texture is light, spongy, and a little chewy with crispy outer edges. Crêpes can be savory or sweet and make wonderful containers for all kinds of crêpe fillings like ham and cheese, bananas and Nutella, or berries and whipped cream.

Table of contents

  • Crêpe Suzette Ingredients
  • How to Make Crêpes Suzette
    • Making the Crepes
    • Making the Orange Sauce (beurre suzette)
  • Tips For Making Your First Crêpes Suzette
  • FAQ
  • Related Recipes

Crêpe Suzette Ingredientsbowls of ingredients for crepes suzette

Crêpes Suzette does contain alcohol so if you're serving to kids, you should leave out the alcohol. They make the perfect dessert for brunch or dinner parties and are often served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

You can replace orange juice with tangerine juice and you can substitute the rum with orange liqueur to make the delicious syrup.

Bread flour has a high protein content so it creates a crêpe that holds up well to being dipped in the sauce and flambéed. If you do not have bread flour, you can use all-purpose flour.

How to Make Crêpes Suzette

There are a few steps to making crepe suzette. First, you make the crepe batter, then cook the crepes, make the caramel sauce, and finally flambé the crepes in the sauce.

Making the Crepes

  1. First, we need to brown the butter. Add your unsalted butter to a large pot over medium heat. The butter will cook down, so it's best to start with more butter than you'll need for the crepes. (This step is optional but browning the butter adds amazing flavor. If you don't want to brown your butter, just melt it.)brown butter in a shallow stainless steel pan
  2. Continue cooking the melted butter until it has browned and smells rich and nutty.brown butter bits
  3. Set the butter aside to cool.
  4. Combine your milk, eggs, sugar, salt, brown butter, and flour in a tall measuring cup or a large bowl and blend with an immersion blender until it is a smooth batter. (Or you can do this in the blender). Pro-tip: You can make the crêpe batter a day in advance and store it covered in the fridge, but it should be room temperature before you use it.pouring crepe batter ingredients into a tall containermixing crepe batter with an immersion blender
  5. Preheat a large skillet (non-stick) over medium heat (170ºF) for 5 minutes.
  6. Coat the pan with a little butter. (You do not need much butter but you should coat the pan in butter after cooking each crepe.)coating a skillet with butter
  7. Pour about ¼ cup of batter into the center of the pan and use your wrist to swirl the batter around the pan to make an even layer. Make sure there is enough batter to coat the base of the pan.pouring crepe batter into a nonstick skillet
  8. Let the crêpe cook until it is golden brown on the bottom. You can check by lifting one side of the crêpe to see underneath. The edges of the should be a little crispy.spatula underneath a crepe on a pan ready to be flipped
  9. Loosen the edges of the crêpe with your spatula then flip the crêpe over with your hands or the spatula.cooked crepe flipped over in a pan
  10. Let it cook a few more minutes and then remove the crêpe to a plate. That's it! In my opinion, easier and faster than a pancake.pile of cooked crepes on a plate
  11. Continue cooking crepes this way with the remaining batter.

Making the Orange Sauce (beurre suzette)

  1. Add the sugar to a large saucepan over medium-high heat.adding sugar to a large skillet
  2. Move the sugar around the pan to melt it evenly until you have a nice caramel.cooking sugar to become a caramel
  3. Add your butter to the pan and stir.adding butter to a skillet of caramel
  4. Add in your orange juice and orange zest.adding orange juice to a skillet of caramel
  5. Reduce the mixture until the sauce thickens.reducing orange sauce in a skillet
  6. Fold your crêpes into quarters and place the folded crepe into the orange sauce four at a time (or however many your pan fits).adding crepes to a pan of orange sauce
  7. Flip the crepes over and cook until the sauce almost completely disappears.flipping over crepes in an orange saucepan of cooked down crepe suzette sauce
  8. Reduce the heat to medium-low.adding grand marnier to a skillet of crepes
  9. Add your Grand Marnier and here comes the fun part, ignite the alcohol with a kitchen torch! Be very careful to not burn yourself.flambeing crepes suzette
  10. You can also sprinkle on a little cinnamon which also ignites and makes a fun show if done in full view of the guests.sprinkling cinnamon into fire over a pan of crepe suzette
  11. Once the alcohol burns off you can serve your crepe suzette with some orange segments, powdered sugar, the leftover sauce, and of course, a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Even a candied orange peel would be pretty!plate of crepes suzette with orange slices
  12. Repeat this process for the remaining crepes.

Tips For Making Your First Crêpes Suzette

  • Preheat your pan properly as crêpe batter sticks to cold pans.
  • If your crêpe gets brown too quickly, reduce the heat a little.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender or a blender, you can use a hand whisk.
  • You can double the sauce recipe and make it separate from the crepes and pour it over the finished crepes before serving.plate of crepes suzette with orange slices

FAQ

Can I make the crepe batter ahead of time?

Yes, store the batter covered in the fridge for up to two days. Some say the crepes are even better after chilling the batter and letting it rest.

Can I make the crepes ahead?

Yes, you can store them flat in a Ziploc bag in the fridge with parchment in between. You can even freeze leftover crepes.

Where did Crepes Suzette originate?

Some say that the name of the dish Crêpes Suzette was named after French actress Suzanne Reichenberg by Monsieur Joseph, owner of Restaurant Marivaux. Others say it was accidentally created in Paris by Henri Charpentier for the Prince of Wales when a waiter poured the sauce too close to a candle and caused it to ignite! However it was made though, it is now a beloved dessert.

What is the difference between crepes and pancakes?

Crepes do not have any baking powder so they are thin, flat, and have a more rubbery texture. They can be sweet or savory and they are meant to be eaten by filling them with other ingredients like your favorite fruits, whipped cream, ham, cheese, mushrooms, etc. Pancakes are thick and fluffy and are usually served with butter, syrup, and sometimes berries. Pancakes are not usually savory.

What do you drink with Crêpe Suzette?

A nice sweet white wine or mimosa goes perfectly with this classic French dessert.

Related Recipes

Caramel Sauce

Apple Turnovers

Brown Butter Pancakes

Homemade Sticky Buns

Easy Bagel Recipe

Recipe

scoop of ice cream on top of crepes suzette
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Crepe Suzette

These French Crepes Suzette are made with a rich, buttery orange liquor sauce. In this easy recipe, learn how to make perfect crepes from scratch in less than 30 minutes and a carmelized sauce that is to die for. Enjoy them for a special breakfast, or top them with ice cream for a decadent dessert.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: French
Servings: 8 crepes
Calories: 225kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • 1 Immersion blender

Ingredients

Crepes

  • 10 ounces milk (1 ¼ cups)
  • 6 ounces eggs (3 eggs)
  • 1 ounce brown butter (2 Tbsp)
  • ½ ounce granulated sugar (5 tsp)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 4 ounces bread flour (or All purpose flour) (1 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon rum (or Grand marnier) optional

Orange Sauce

  • 2 ounces melted butter (4 Tbsp)
  • 3 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 9 ounces orange juice (1 cup)
  • 1 half orange zest
  • 3 tablespoon Grand Marnier
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making the Crepes

  • First, we need to brown the butter. Add your unsalted butter to a large pot over medium heat. The butter will cook down, so it's best to start with more butter than you'll need for the crepes. (This step is optional but browning the butter adds amazing flavor. If you don't want to brown your butter, just melt it.)
  • Continue cooking the melted butter until it has browned and smells rich and nutty.
  • Set the butter aside to cool.
  • Combine your milk, eggs, sugar, salt, brown butter, and flour in a tall measuring cup or a large bowl and blend with an immersion blender until it is a smooth batter. (Or you can do this in the blender).
    Pro-tip: You can make the crêpe batter a day in advance and store it covered in the fridge, but it should be room temperature before you use it.
  • Preheat a large skillet (non-stick) over medium heat (170ºF) for 5 minutes.
  • Coat the pan with a little butter. (You do not need much butter but you should coat the pan in butter after cooking each crepe.)
  • Pour about ¼ cup of batter into the center of the pan and use your wrist to swirl the batter around the pan to make an even layer. Make sure there is enough batter to coat the base of the pan.
  • Let the crêpe cook until it is golden brown on the bottom. You can check by lifting one side of the crêpe to see underneath. The edges of the should be a little crispy.
  • Loosen the edges of the crêpe with your spatula then flip the crêpe over with your hands or the spatula.
  • Let it cook a few more minutes and then remove the crêpe to a plate. That's it! In my opinion, easier and faster than a pancake.
  • Continue cooking crepes this way with the remaining batter.

Making the Orange Sauce (beurre suzette)

  • Add the sugar to a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Move the sugar around the pan to melt it evenly until you have a nice caramel.
  • Add your butter to the pan and stir.
  • Add in your orange juice and orange zest.
  • Reduce the mixture until the sauce thickens.
  • Fold your crêpes into quarters and place the folded crepe into the orange sauce four at a time (or however many your pan fits).
  • Cook until the sauce almost completely disappears.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low.
  • Add your Grand Marnier and here comes the fun part, ignite the alcohol with a kitchen torch! Be very careful to not burn yourself.
  • You can also sprinkle on a little cinnamon which also ignites and makes a fun show if done in full view of the guests.
  • Once the alcohol burns off you can serve your crepe suzette with some orange segments, powdered sugar, the leftover sauce, and of course, a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Even a candied orange peel would be pretty!
  • Repeat this process for the remaining crepes.

Video

Notes

  • Preheat your pan properly as crêpe batter sticks to cold pans.
  • If your crêpe gets brown too quickly, reduce the heat a little.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender or a blender, you can use a hand whisk.
  • You can double the sauce recipe and make it separate from the crepes and pour it over the finished crepes before serving.
  • If your crepes are sticking to the bottom of the pan, you're either not using enough butter or your pan is too hot.
  • You can store the batter covered in the fridge for up to two days. Some say the crepes are even better after chilling the batter and letting it rest.

Nutrition

Serving: 1crepe | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 549mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 502IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg

September 22, 2022 Blog

Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Recipe

This is the best strawberry buttercream recipe made from real strawberries! Thick strawberry puree made from fresh or frozen berries mixed into creamy easy vanilla buttercream frosting. This recipe pairs well with lemon cake, vanilla cake, strawberry cake, or even chocolate cupcakes.strawberry buttercream on a chocolate cupcake

The trick to this strawberry buttercream is getting the strawberry puree to the right consistency by reducing it. The longer the berries are reduced, the thicker they will become and the more flavor will be concentrated. When strawberries are fresh, juicy, and warmed by the sun, there’s nothing like it, but frozen strawberries are a wonderful alternative that give the same real strawberry flavor.

Table of contents

  • Strawberry Buttercream Ingredients
  • How to Make Strawberry Buttercream
    • Making the Strawberry Puree
    • Making the Strawberry Buttercream
  • FAQ
  • Related Recipes

Strawberry Buttercream Ingredientsbowls of ingredients for strawberry buttercream

Strawberries: If you have fresh berries available then this is a great way to use them and save that seasonal flavor. If not, frozen berries are just as good because they are picked at the peak of ripeness and flash frozen. The freezing process starts to break down the berries, so as they thaw they will release their juices and break down quicker in the reduction process. Freeze-dried strawberries won't work as well in this buttercream, because the butter will prevent the strawberries from rehydrating and releasing their flavor. 

Pasteurized Egg whites: Pasteurized egg whites are heat-treated (like milk) so they are safe to eat. They usually come in a box carton in the egg aisle. If you don’t have pasteurized egg whites then you can use my Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe instead. Note that undercooked egg whites are not recommended for pregnant women just to be on the safe side.

Butter: Using good quality, real butter is best, but you can substitute it with margarine, vegan butter, or vegetable shortening. I can’t guarantee the taste will be the same, but you can use whatever is your preference! You can also mix the strawberry puree into any of my buttercream recipes, like Swiss meringue buttercream, American buttercream, and even cream cheese frosting. piping bag piping a swirl of strawberry buttercream on top of a chocolate cupcake

How to Make Strawberry Buttercream

I recommend making the strawberry puree a day ahead, or at least 2 hours ahead so that it has time to cool. The buttercream can be made ahead of time as well, but it comes together quickly so I like to make it when you're ready to use it. You can use store-bought strawberry preserves instead of homemade strawberry puree for an easy version of this recipe. It won't have the exact same flavor, but will still be delicious!

Making the Strawberry Puree

  1. Place the fresh or frozen whole strawberries and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, this will break down the berries and release the juices.hands adding frozen strawberries to a pot.pot of cooking strawberries.
  2. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Stir to combine. 
  3. Using an immersion blender, blend until the berries are a smooth consistency and there are no large chunks of strawberries. You can also pour the mixture into a food processor if you don’t have an immersion blender.Pot of cooked strawberries being blended with an immersion blender.
  4. Return the berries to low heat and continue to reduce until the excess water has evaporated and you have reached a thick consistency, this can take up to 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom of the pan. For this buttercream, we want a thick strawberry jam consistency with an intense strawberry flavor. blended strawberry mixture slowly simmering in a pot.
  5. Cool the puree completely before adding it to the buttercream, or it will melt the butter. The puree can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 6 months. Pro-tip: Make the reduced strawberry puree during strawberry season and freeze it to use during the winter.spoonful of strawberry puree
  6. You will only need about a cup of strawberry puree for this frosting. I like to use the rest as a filling, on top of ice cream, or in my fresh strawberry cake or doctored box mix strawberry cake recipes.

Making the Strawberry Buttercream

  1. Place the egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, combine the ingredients on low speed and then whip on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the powdered sugar.pouring pasteurized egg whites into a glass bowlclose up of egg whites and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl
  2. Add in the salt and vanilla extract.
  3. Add the softened butter in chunks and whip with the whisk attachment for 8 to 10 minutes until it no longer tastes like butter. It will look curdled at first but this is normal, just keep whipping. adding butter to buttercream mixtureclose up of whipped buttercream
  4. If your buttercream continues to look curdled, remove about ⅓ cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until it is barely melted. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.pouring melted buttercream back into the mixer
  5. Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for about 10 minutes to remove the air bubbles and create super smooth buttercream. This is optional but will make it extra creamy. close up of mixed buttercream
  6. Add about 1 cup (8 oz) of room temperature strawberry puree and lemon zest to the buttercream and mix until combined. You can add additional strawberry puree a quarter cup at a time until your desired flavor is reached. The more puree you add the less structure the buttercream will have.strawberry puree being added to a bowl of vanilla buttercream in a stand mixer
  7. This buttercream has fresh fruit in it, so make sure it stays refrigerated. This recipe makes enough frosting to cover and fill an 8-inch layer cake. Store excess buttercream in the fridge for 2 weeks or freeze it for up to 6 months. Defrost the buttercream in the fridge and re-whip it before using.clear bowl filled with strawberry buttercream

FAQ

Why is my strawberry buttercream splitting? 

The buttercream splits because it’s too cold. Take out ⅓ cup of the buttercream and melt it in the microwave until it’s just melted and then whip it back in. That little bit of warm butter helps it all come together again.

Can I cover this buttercream with fondant? 

YES! I do it all the time, just make sure to chill your cakes until the buttercream is firm to the touch before applying fondant. It goes great with my homemade marshmallow fondant too! Check out my video on how to cover a cake in fondant.

Can I use other berries? 

Yes, you can use whatever berry you prefer or your favorite fruits, just follow the same process in the puree. 

Are pasteurized egg whites safe to eat? 

Yes! Pasteurized egg whites are heat-treated (like milk) so they are safe to eat. They usually come in a box carton in the egg aisle. If you don’t have pasteurized egg whites then you can use my SMBC recipe instead. Note that undercooked egg whites are not recommended for pregnant women just to be on the safe side.

How can I use this homemade strawberry frosting?

This frosting is great to use with almost any flavor of cake, cupcake, or cake pop and is perfect for piping. For more information on how to frost and decorate your first cake, you can watch my free tutorial on how to decorate your first cake.

Related Recipes

Fresh Strawberry Cake

Lemon Velvet Cake

Moist Vanilla Cake From Scratch

Easy Chocolate Cake

Recipe

strawberry buttercream on a chocolate cupcake
Print Recipe
4.85 from 13 votes

Strawberry Buttercream

This strawberry buttercream made from real strawberries is sweet, bursting with fresh strawberry flavor, and has the slightest hint of lemon. It is perfect for stacking cakes, is great under fondant, and is so easy to make!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Chilling Time2 hours hrs
Total Time2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 993kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • 1 Large saucepan
  • 1 Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments optional

Ingredients

Strawberry Puree

  • 32 ounces fresh or frozen strawberries 6 cups
  • 4 ounces granulated sugar ½ cup
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Strawberry Buttercream

  • 8 ounces strawberry puree room temperature, 1 cup
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 8 ounces pasteurized egg whites room temperature
  • 16 ounces powdered sugar 2 pounds
  • 16 ounces unsalted butter room temperature, 2 pounds
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making the Strawberry Puree

  • Place the fresh or frozen whole strawberries and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, this will break down the berries and release the juices.
  • Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Stir to combine. 
  • Using an immersion blender, blend until the berries are a smooth consistency and there are no large chunks of strawberries. You can also pour the mixture into a food processor if you don’t have an immersion blender.
  • Return the berries to low heat and continue to reduce until the excess water has evaporated and you have reached a thick consistency, this can take up to 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom of the pan. For this buttercream, we want a thick strawberry jam consistency.
  • Cool the puree completely before adding it to the buttercream, or it will melt the butter. The puree can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 6 months. Pro-tip: Make the reduced strawberry puree during strawberry season and freeze it to use during the winter.
  • You will only need about a cup of strawberry puree for this frosting. I like to use the rest as a filling, on top of ice cream, or in my fresh strawberry cake or doctored box mix strawberry cake recipes.

Making the Strawberry Buttercream

  • Place the egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, combine the ingredients on low speed and then whip on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the powdered sugar.
  • Add in the salt and vanilla extract.
  • Add the softened butter in chunks and whip with the whisk attachment for 8 to 10 minutes until it no longer tastes like butter. It will look curdled at first but this is normal, just keep whipping. 
  • If your buttercream continues to look curdled, remove about ⅓ cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until it is barely melted. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
  • Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for about 10 minutes to remove the air bubbles and create super smooth buttercream. This is optional but will make it extra creamy.
  • Add about 1 cup (8 oz) of room temperature strawberry puree and lemon zest to the buttercream and mix until combined. You can add additional strawberry puree a quarter cup at a time until your desired flavor is reached. The more puree you add the less structure the buttercream will have.
  • This buttercream has fresh fruit in it, so make sure it stays refrigerated. This recipe makes enough frosting to cover and fill an 8-inch layer cake. Store excess buttercream in the fridge for 2 weeks or freeze it for up to 6 months. Defrost the buttercream in the fridge and re-whip it before using.

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start
  1. If you want a quick and easy version of this frosting, you can use store-bought strawberry preserves instead of homemade strawberry puree. It won't have the same flavor, but will still be delicious!
  2. The best investment you can make when you’re getting started with baking is a digital kitchen scale! 
  3. Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 993kcal | Carbohydrates: 110g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 102g | Vitamin A: 2241IU | Vitamin C: 113mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

September 15, 2022 Paid Video

Royal Icing Transfer Frog Cake

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September 15, 2022 Course Preview

Royal Icing Transfer Frog Cake Tutorial

Skill level: Intermediate

Guest instructor Mik Nuzzi from Mik & Cookies joins us today teaching a lovely frog-themed cake. In this tutorial, Mik breaks down how to make and transfer royal icing designs onto cakes. Featuring a delightful frog on a lily pad, daisies and cute little mushrooms, this technique is sure to impress party-goers and guests.

There's a lot to cover in this tutorial, so let's get our tools together and let's get started!

1:07:51 Minutes of Instruction

What You Will Learn

  • How to combine cookie and cake decorating techniques to make unique royal icing transfers
  • Learn Mik's tips and tricks to get royal icing to look amazing
  • How to make small and large transfers
  • Learn how to make a frog on a lily pad, daisies and mushrooms

Cake with royal icing transfer of a frog on lily pad

Tutorial Chapters

  1. Making The Royal Icing 4:56
  2. Coloring The Royal Icing 14:42
  3. Making The Small Transfers 30:13
  4. Making The Frog Topper 45:18
  5. Adding The Small Transfers 59:52
  6. Adding The Frog Topper 1:01:59

Downloads

Materials List

Color Formulas Guide

Daisy & Mushroom Transfer Template

Frog Transfer Template

Icing Consistencies Guide

Royal Icing Recipe

Storing Transfers Guide

Transfer Dry Time Guide

Transfer Guide

September 14, 2022 Breakfast

Apple Turnover Recipe

This apple turnover recipe is made with homemade rough puff pastry dough and a sweet crisp apple filling with added notes of honey and vanilla. These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth flaky pastries will remind you of freshly made croissants.

Executive pastry chef, Christophe Rull, is back to show us how to make this apple turnover recipe. These delicious puff pastry apple turnovers are buttery, flaky, and the perfect balance of sweet and acidic from the apple filling. A turnover is very similar to a hand pie or fresh apple pie but is traditionally made with puff pastry instead of pie dough.

Table of contents

  • Apple Turnover Ingredients
  • Making Apple Turnovers From Scratch
    • Making Rough Puff Pastry
    • Laminating the Dough
    • Making Apple Filling
    • Assembling the Turnovers
  • FAQ
  • More Apple Desserts

Apple Turnover Ingredients

Gala apples work best because they’re crisp and mellow in flavor, and their natural sweetness requires less sugar to be added to the recipe. You can use granny smith, honey crisp, golden delicious, or any apples that you prefer.

European butter (like Plugra) has a higher fat content which makes it creamier and more flavorful. Using a higher quality butter will make a super flaky puff pastry dough. Just make sure to use COLD butter.

Vanilla beans have the best flavor, but you can also use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, I recommend using Nielsen Massey vanilla.

High Gluten Flour (like bread flour) contains more proteins and develops more gluten which helps your dough rise more evenly. You can use all-purpose flour if that's all you have.

Honey adds some extra sweetness and moisture to our apple filling. It has a distinct flavor that goes really well with apples and will give them a sweet taste!

Cornstarch is going to help to thicken our apple filling in this recipe. Mixing cornstarch and a liquid will make a slurry that will thicken jams, compotes, and other fillings.

Making Apple Turnovers From Scratch

This recipe goes over how to make rough puff pastry dough, laminate the dough, make the apple filling, and assemble apple turnovers from scratch. You can simplify this recipe by buying canned apple pie filling and store-bought puff pastry sheets to skip the lamination process. It may not be "quite" as flaky and buttery, but will still be delicious!

Making Rough Puff Pastry

  1. Add the flour, salt, cold water, and melted butter into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment for 1-2 minutes until the ingredients are just combined.bowl of flour being added to stand mixer.
  2. Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the mixer.adding cold butter cubes to the bowl of a stand mixer.
  3. Mix again on low speed until the butter is barely combined with the dough. Make sure to not over mix, we want to see pieces of butter in the dough (this will create the crunch and flakiness). picture of dough mixed inside stand mixer.
  4. Place the dough onto the table and shape it into a rectangle with your hands.hands holding kneaded dough.
  5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 2 hours until it’s firm to the touch. picture of plastic wrapped dough.

Laminating the Dough

  1. Once the dough is chilled, flour the work surface, take the dough out of the fridge, and roll it out in a long rectangle that is about 24″ long and 8″ wide.picture of rolled out dough.
  2. Give it the first book fold by folding each end towards the middle making sure the ends meet. hands folding dough.
  3. Fold the dough in half along the seam to close the ends like a book. (Hence the term book fold.) Turn it a quarter of a turn so that the dough is now facing lengthwise.hands folding dough.
  4. Repeat steps 1-3 once more by rolling out the dough to do a second book fold. If your dough is bouncing back at the edges and is not rolling out easily, your gluten needs to relax. Wrap the dough and put it back in the refrigerator for an hour and try again. Also if your dough is too soft and warm, put your dough back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  5. Once your second book fold is completed, wrap and rest your dough for 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge.hands holding wrapped dough.

Making Apple Filling

  1. Peel and cut your apples into small cubes.
  2. Add the honey, sugar, and vanilla to a medium saucepan.hand adding honey to saucepan.
  3. Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until it reaches a light blonde color. If you want an extra rich flavor, you can substitute some of the honey and sugar for brown sugar.picture of sugar and honey mixture cooking in saucepan.
  4. Add in the butter and apples and stir the mixture together.hand adding bowl of apples to saucepan.
  5. Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes or until the apples are slightly soft and translucent. Don’t overcook the apples here, you want to avoid them getting too mushy when they bake later.
  6. Combine the cold water and corn starch in a small bowl and add it to the apple mixture. Pro-Tip: Use equal parts of Clear Jel instead of corn starch for a more translucent and shiny apple filling.hand using whisk to whisk together cornstarch and water.hand pouring bowl of cornstarch into filling mixture.
  7. Cook for about 1 more minute on medium heat, then remove it from the heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools. If you like a more tart apple filling, you can add a few tablespoons of lemon juice.spatula covered in apple filling mixture.
  8. Pour the apple filling into a medium bowl and cover it with plastic wrap so it’s touching the surface of the filling. This is to prevent a film from forming on top.hand placing plastic wrap on top of filling.
  9. Refrigerate the apple filling for about an hour or until it’s cooled down to room temperature. This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for a month.

Assembling the Turnovers

  1. Once your dough is chilled, cut it in half. Then roll one half out in a long rectangle that is about 24″ long and 8″ wide. One batch of this rough puff will make about 12 apple turnovers.hand dusting sheet of rolled dough with flour
  2. Place the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.hands placing rolled dough onto baking sheet.
  3. Use a 4-inch ring to cut three or four equal circles out of the dough. You can also use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter if you don't have a circle. This dough cannot be rolled out again, but if you slice up the rest of the dough into strips, twist them, and bake them with some butter and a cinnamon sugar mix for delicious cinnamon sticks.hand cutting circles with a cutter out of dough.
  4. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
  5. Dock the dough circles with a fork so that they don't overdevelop in the oven.hand using a fork to dock the dough circles.
  6. Mix an egg and water together in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash halfway around the outside of the circle.hand using a pastry brush to brush egg was around the outside of the dough circle.
  7. Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of apple filling into the center of the dough and fold it in half.hand using a small scoop to scoop apple filling into center of dough.
  8. Gently press the turnover on the edges to make a good connection with the egg wash. Touch the dough as little as possible to avoid heating up the butter too much.hand gently pressing the dough closed
  9. Dip a 3 ½-inch ring in flour and press down to glue the edges together. Cut through to make a clean line, then remove the excess. This is optional, but it will make the turnovers extra pretty.hand dipping a circle cutter in flour. hands cutting off excess dough with a circle cutter.
  10. Place the turnovers on a lined baking sheet and brush them with egg wash. Egg wash makes the dough golden and shiny when baked.hand using a pastry brush to brush turnover with egg wash.
  11. With an Exacto blade or a sharp knife, gently score a few small slits on the top of each turnover. This shouldn't cut through the dough but make a beautiful shell pattern and extra flaky layers.Hand using an exacto knife to cut a shell pattern on top of the turnover.
  12. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until they are flaky and golden brown.
  13. Set the turnovers aside on a wire rack to cool completely and brush with simple syrup for extra shine (optional).finished apple turnovers.apple turnover with a bite taken.

FAQ

What pastry is apple turnover made with?

Apple turnovers are made with puff pastry dough or sometimes pie dough. Store-bought pastry sheets will work, but homemade puff pastry or rough puff will give the best crunch texture and flaky crust.

How do you keep apple turnovers from getting soggy?

Keep your baked apple turnovers in an airtight container stored at room temperature to avoid added moisture. They will last for about 3-4 days. If you want to make them ahead of time, you should assemble them, freeze them, then bake them the day you need them for ultimate freshness. 

What is the best apple to use for apple turnovers?

Gala apples are perfect for this recipe due to their mild sweetness. Granny smith apples and golden delicious apples are also good because they hold their crispness well when cooked, but have a more tart flavor. 

Can you freeze apple turnovers? 

Yes, you can assemble them, freeze the unbaked turnover, and bake it when you're ready to serve. Frozen turnovers will last for up to 2 months.

Why is it called Apple Turnover?

Puff pastry is folded (or turned) over to enclose the apple filling.

More Apple Desserts

Apple Cake

Simple Apple Filling

Apple Tart

Apple Galette

Easy Caramel Apples

Recipe

Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Apple Turnover Recipe

The best apple turnovers are made with homemade puff pastry dough and a warm honey apple filling. Make your own from scratch, or use pre-made sheets of puff pastry and skip the lamination process for an easy recipe. They are simple to prepare and perfect to make ahead of time for an event or a special breakfast!
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: French
Servings: 12 turnovers
Calories: 359kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • 1 4" round cutter optional
  • 1 3 ½" round cutter optional

Ingredients

Rough Puff Pastry

  • 170 grams cold water
  • 50 grams melted unsalted butter
  • 12 grams salt
  • 340 grams high gluten flour bread flour (AP is okay too)
  • 230 grams European unsalted butter cold and diced

Apple Filling

  • 400 grams fresh apples gala
  • 80 grams granulated sugar
  • 80 grams honey
  • 40 grams unsalted butter
  • 1 whole vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon extract

Instructions

  • This recipe goes over how to make rough puff pastry dough, laminate the dough, make the apple filling, and assemble apple turnovers from scratch. You can simplify this recipe by buying canned apple pie filling and store-bought puff pastry sheets to skip the lamination process. It may not be "quite" as flaky and buttery, but will still be delicious!

Making Rough Puff Pastry

  • Add the flour, salt, cold water, and melted butter into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment for 1-2 minutes until the ingredients are just combined.
  • Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the mixer.
  • Mix again on low speed until the butter is barely combined with the dough. Make sure to not over mix, we want to see pieces of butter in the dough (this will create the crunch and flakiness). 
  • Place the dough onto the table and shape it into a rectangle with your hands.
  • Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 2 hours until it’s firm to the touch. 

Laminating the Dough

  • Once the dough is chilled, flour the work surface, take the dough out of the fridge, and roll it out in a long rectangle that is about 24″ long and 8″ wide.
  • Give it the first book fold by folding each end towards the middle making sure the ends meet. 
  • Fold the dough in half along the seam to close the ends like a book. (Hence the term book fold.) Turn it a quarter of a turn so that the dough is now facing lengthwise.
  • Repeat steps 1-3 once more by rolling out the dough to do a second book fold. If your dough is bouncing back at the edges and is not rolling out easily, your gluten needs to relax. Wrap the dough and put it back in the refrigerator for an hour and try again. Also if your dough is too soft and warm, put your dough back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Once your second book fold is completed, wrap and rest your dough for 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge.

Making Apple Filling

  • Peel and cut your apples into small cubes.
  • Add the honey, sugar, and vanilla to a medium saucepan.
  • Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until it reaches a light blonde color. If you want an extra rich flavor, you can substitute some of the honey and sugar for brown sugar.
  • Add in the butter and apples and stir the mixture together.
  • Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes or until the apples are slightly soft and translucent. Don’t overcook the apples here, you want to avoid them getting too mushy when they bake later.
  • Combine the cold water and corn starch in a small bowl and add it to the apple mixture. Pro-Tip: Use equal parts of Clear Jel instead of corn starch for a more translucent and shiny apple filling.
  • Cook for about 1 more minute on medium heat, then remove it from the heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools. If you like a more tart apple filling, you can add a few tablespoons of lemon juice.
  • Pour the apple filling into a medium bowl and cover it with plastic wrap so it’s touching the surface of the filling. This is to prevent a film from forming on top.
  • Refrigerate the apple filling for about an hour or until it’s cooled down to room temperature. This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for a month.

Assembling the Turnovers

  • Once your dough is chilled, cut it in half. Then roll one half out in a long rectangle that is about 24″ long and 8″ wide. One batch of this rough puff will make about 12 apple turnovers.
  • Place the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Use a 4-inch ring to cut three or four equal circles out of the dough. You can also use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter if you don't have a circle.
    This dough cannot be rolled out again, but if you slice up the rest of the dough into strips, twist them, and bake them with some butter and a cinnamon sugar mix for delicious cinnamon sticks.
  • Repeat with the other half of the dough.
  • Dock the dough circles with a fork so that they don't overdevelop in the oven.
  • Mix an egg and water together in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash halfway around the outside of the circle.
  • Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of apple filling into the center of the dough and fold it in half.
  • Gently press the turnover on the edges to make a good connection with the egg wash. Touch the dough as little as possible to avoid heating up the butter too much.
  • Dip a 3 ½-inch ring in flour and press down to glue the edges together. Cut through to make a clean line, then remove the excess. This is optional, but it will make the turnovers extra pretty.
  • Place the turnovers on a lined baking sheet and brush them with egg wash. Egg wash makes the dough golden and shiny when baked.
  • With an Exacto blade or a sharp knife, gently score a few small slits on the top of each turnover. This shouldn't cut through the dough but make a beautiful shell pattern and extra flaky layers.
  • Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until they are flaky and golden brown.
  • Set the turnovers aside on a wire rack to cool completely and brush with simple syrup for extra shine (optional).

Video

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start
 
1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature or even a little warm (eggs, buttermilk, butter, etc). 
2. Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe. 
3. Practice Mise en Place (everything in it’s place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
4. Gala apples are perfect for this recipe due to their mild sweetness. Granny smith apples and golden delicious apples are also good because they hold their crispness well when cooked, but have a more tart flavor. 
5. To make turnovers ahead of time, you can assemble them, freeze the unbaked turnovers, and bake them when you're ready to serve. Frozen turnovers will last for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1turnover | Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 684IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.4mg

September 14, 2022 Recipe

Strawberry Crunch

Learn how to make strawberry crunch to use as decoration for cakes, cupcakes, or on top of your favorite ice cream. Shortbread cookies, freeze-dried strawberries, and melted butter are all you need, but adding a little strawberry emulsion gives it that authentic flavor.

These strawberry shortcake crumbles will remind you of the classic strawberry shortcake ice cream bars you got from the ice cream truck as a kid. The best part was always the vanilla and strawberry crunchies on the outside of the bar, so why not have a whole bowl of them?!

Table of contents

  • Strawberry Crunch Ingredients
  • How to Make Strawberry Crunch
  • How to Use Strawberry Crunch
  • FAQ
  • Related Recipes

Strawberry Crunch Ingredients

strawberry crunch topping ingredientsVanilla shortbread cookies have a high butter content and stay crunchy while they stick to the cake. Many other recipes use golden Oreos and vanilla pudding mix, but I like the flavor of shortbread or vanilla wafers. I use Keebler because they're easy to buy at the grocery store, but you can use your preferred brand of cookies. Or you can make your own shortbread cookies, just leave the lemon out of my recipe.

Freeze-dried strawberries work best for this recipe, but you can always use strawberry jello if you can't find any.

Strawberry emulsion is not required for this recipe but it adds a sweet strawberry flavor. You can also use strawberry puree or strawberry extract. I like LorAnn oil's strawberry emulsion.

How to Make Strawberry Crunch

  1. First, add the vanilla shortbread cookies to a food processor and chop them until they're broken into very small crumbs. If you don't have a mixer, you can cut them up with a knife or put them in a Ziploc bag and grind them with a rolling pin or mallet. Don't worry if your crumbs aren't all uniform, but break up the bigger pieces with your hands.hands adding shortbread cookies to a food processor.
  2. Then add the strawberry emulsion to the cookies and blend until it's combined. If you don't have emulsion, you can skip this step or use strawberry extract.hand adding strawberry emulsion to the food processor.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a separate large mixing bowl. The strawberries and cookies blend differently, so I do not recommend mixing them in the blender all at once.pouring the food processed shortbread cookies into a large glass bowl.
  4. Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor and chop them until they're broken into very small crumbs. Add the strawberries to the bowl with the cookie crumbs. Pro-Tip: Blend your freeze-dried strawberries straight from the bag and work quickly, as they tend to absorb moisture in the air and will become gummy in your food processor.hands pouring freeze dried strawberries into a food processor.
  5. Next, add the melted butter to the large bowl and stir with a whisk to combine the mixture and break up any big crumbs. That's it!hand pouring melted butter into a bowl with food processed shortbread cookies and freeze dried strawberries.
  6. Store the strawberry crunch topping in a large Ziploc bag or an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for about up to a month, however, they're best used within 1 week.

How to Use Strawberry Crunch

  • Add it as a topping to strawberry ice cream
  • Stir it into yogurt
  • Strawberry hot chocolate bombs with white chocolate
  • Roll it onto a vanilla ice cream sandwich
  • Decorate the sides of a cake
  • Sprinkle it on top of cupcakes

My favorite way to use strawberry crunch is with my homemade strawberry crunch cake. Use a doctored box cake mix to create two delicious white cake layers, and add a little bit of strawberry reduction to make a strawberry layer for the middle. I like using my easy buttercream recipe, but whipped cream or cream cheese frosting would also be delicious. Push the strawberry crumble on the sides and the top of the cake to make an irresistible summer treat.Photo of strawberry crunch cake.

FAQ

Why is my strawberry crunch sticky?

If your strawberry crunch crumbles are sticky, you either added too much butter, or it wasn't sealed and absorbed some of the moisture in the air. Spread it onto a baking sheet and bake it at 350°F for 5 minutes to dry it out.

Can I use fresh strawberries for strawberry crunch?

Freeze-dried strawberries will make your life a lot easier than fresh strawberries for this recipe. If you only have fresh berries, you can dry them yourself.

What is strawberry crunch made of?

Strawberry Crunch, or Strawberry Shortcake Crumble, is a mixture of ground-up shortbread cookies, freeze-dried strawberries, and butter. This nostalgic topping is perfect when sprinkled over ice cream, mixed into yogurt, or used to decorate cakes and cupcakes.

Related Recipes

Strawberry crunch cake recipe

Fresh strawberry cake recipe

Moist & fluffy vanilla cupcake

Recipe

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Strawberry Crunch Recipe

You only need 10 minutes and 4 simple ingredients to make this quick homemade strawberry crunch recipe. This crunchy topping is a great addition to many dessert recipes like pies, ice cream, cakes, cupcakes, or even yogurt.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time5 minutes mins
Total Time10 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 5 cups
Calories: 1683kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • Food processor or knife

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce freeze-dried strawberries (1 cup)
  • 8 ounces shortbread cookies (2 ½ cups)
  • ½ teaspoon strawberry emulsion optional
  • ¼ cup melted unsalted butter (4 Tbsp)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • First, add the vanilla shortbread cookies to a food processor and chop them until they're broken into very small crumbs. If you don't have a mixer, you can cut them up with a knife or put them in a Ziploc bag and grind them with a rolling pin or mallet. Don't worry if your crumbs aren't all uniform, but break up the bigger pieces with your hands.
  • Then add the strawberry emulsion to the cookies and blend until it's combined. If you don't have emulsion, you can skip this step or use strawberry extract.
  • Transfer the mixture to a separate large mixing bowl. The strawberries and cookies blend differently, so I do not recommend mixing them in the blender all at once.
  • Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor and chop them until they're broken into very small crumbs. Add the strawberries to the bowl with the cookie crumbs. Pro-Tip: Blend your freeze-dried strawberries straight from the bag and work quickly, as they tend to absorb moisture in the air and will become gummy in your food processor.
  • Next, add the melted butter to the large bowl and stir with a whisk to combine the mixture and break up any big crumbs. That's it!
  • Store the strawberry crunch topping in a large Ziploc bag or an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for about up to a month, however, they're best used within 1 week.

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start
  1. The best investment you can make when you’re getting started with baking is a digital kitchen scale! 
  2. Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
  3. You can freeze strawberry crunch in a plastic bag to keep it for months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 1683kcal | Carbohydrates: 170g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 105g | Saturated Fat: 48g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 1165mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 1613IU | Vitamin C: 346mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 13mg

September 14, 2022 Cake

Strawberry Crunch Cake

This Strawberry Crunch Cake is based on the classic strawberry crunch ice cream bars. It comes together with a few simple ingredients using my easy doctored box cake mix recipe, real strawberries, shortbread cookies, and a batch of easy buttercream. Cover it in a layer of homemade strawberry crunch topping to make a beautiful layer cake!

The best part of this recipe is using a cake mix for dependability and ease. You can make this cake from scratch by using my homemade white velvet cake and fresh strawberry cake as well. You will need to make a strawberry reduction for either recipe you use, so make it ahead of time. 

Table of contents

  • Strawberry Crunch Cake Ingredients
  • Making Strawberry Crunch Cake
    • Making Strawberry Reduction
    • Making Cake Layers
    • Making Strawberry Crunch
    • Assembling Strawberry Crunch Cake
  • Tips For Success
  • FAQ
  • Related Recipes

Strawberry Crunch Cake Ingredients

ingredients for strawberry crunch cake.Strawberries: I am using strawberries in 3 ways for this recipe. Fresh (garnish), frozen (reduction), and freeze-dried (crunch). I use thawed frozen berries to slightly speed up the reduction process. The cell walls of the frozen berries have already broken down, so once the heat is applied it can get right to evaporating water and intensifying flavor.

Strawberry Emulsion: This is an optional ingredient, but I really like the distinct strawberry flavor it gives the cake and crumbles. It adds a little extra pop of color, smells amazing, and tastes like my favorite ice cream bar would taste. Combined with real strawberries it enhances the natural flavor. 

Box Cake Mix: A doctored cake mix that is well-used by bakers all over the world that produces a delicious cake that tastes almost like scratch. The dependability of the mix allows additions like the strawberry puree and it still bakes great. This is why I chose to use a box mix for this cake, so I could use one recipe of cake and still get 2 different flavors of cake. It saves time and stress. I like Duncan Hines white cake mix as a base, but any brand will work. 

Shortbread Cookies: Shortbread cookies have a high butter content and stay crunchy while they stick to the cake. Many other recipes use golden Oreos and vanilla pudding mix, but I like the flavor of shortbread or vanilla wafers. You also save time by not having to scrape Oreos. I use Keebler because they're easy to buy at the grocery store, but you can use your preferred brand of shortbread cookies. Or you can make your own shortbread cookies, just leave the lemon out of my recipe.

Making Strawberry Crunch Cake

Starting one day ahead for this recipe is a good idea. The reduction should be made far enough in advance that it has time to fully cook and cool before using it in the cake mix. Then make the cakes, chill them, make the strawberry crumble, make the buttercream, and decorate.

Making Strawberry Reduction

  1. Defrost the strawberries or chop up your fresh strawberries. 
  2. Add the strawberries and sugar to a heavy bottom saucepan and stir them together.hand adding sugar to a pot with strawberries.
  3. Cook over medium heat until they begin to break down and release their juices. pot of cooking strawberries.
  4. Add in lemon zest, juice and salt and turn off the heat. hand adding lemon extract to a pot with cooking strawberries and lemon zest.
  5. Blend the berries until smooth using an immersion blender. If you do not have one, carefully pour the berries into your blender. Pot of cooked strawberries being blended with an immersion blender.
  6. Over low heat, bring the berries back to a simmer and allow them to reduce by about half (20-30 minutes).blended strawberry mixture slowly simmering in a pot.
  7. Stir occasionally to prevent the berries from burning. The reduction should look like tomato sauce, not watery. 
  8. Let it cool before using. Reserve ¼ cup of the reduction to be used in the strawberry cake layer. If you are making the reduction ahead, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to use it. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.pouring strawberry puree into a glass bowl to cool.

Making Cake Layers

  1. Prepare 3 six-inch round cake pans with cake goop or parchment paper. hands brushing cake goop into a cake pan with a pastry brush.
  2. Add the white cake mix, flour, sugar, salt, sour cream, melted butter, milk, egg whites, and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. hand pouring a box of white cake mix into a stand mixer bowl.
  3. Divide the batter into 2 of the 3 prepared pans, if you are using a scale each pan should hold about 17 ounces (or 3 cups) of batter. Leave the remaining third of the batter in the mixing bowl.cake pan with cake batter being weighed on a scale.
  4. Add ¼ cup of the strawberry reduction and the (optional) ½ teaspoon of strawberry emulsion to the reserved batter and stir until combined. Add a drop of red food coloring (optional) to counteract the berries turning slightly purple when they bake. hand mixing strawberry puree and emulsion into cake batter.
  5. Pour the strawberry cake batter into the third prepared pan.pouring strawberry cake batter into prepared pan.
  6. Bake the cake layers at 335° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The strawberry cake may finish before the white cakes. The added liquid changes the chemistry slightly.hands placing baked white cakes on a cooling rack.
  7. Let the cakes cool until you can touch them (about 10 minutes) and flip them out onto a cooling rack until completely cooled.hands flipping out a baked cake from the cake pan.
  8. Wrap in plastic wrap and flash freeze for up to an hour before layering the cake. 

Making Strawberry Crunch

  1. Add the shortbread cookies to the food processor bowl. Pulse until medium crumbs are formed. Don't worry if your crumbs aren't all uniform, but break up the bigger pieces with your hands. hands adding shortbread cookies to a food processor.
  2. Add the strawberry extract or emulsion to the cookie crumbs and pulse until small crumble pieces are formed and place them in a separate large bowl. Be careful not to create a fine texture, or it will not be crunchy.hand adding strawberry emulsion to the food processor.
  3. Add the freeze-dried strawberries to the food processor and pulse until the crumbs are roughly the same size as the shortbread crumbs. Add the strawberry crumbs to the shortbread crumbs. Pro-Tip: Blend your freeze-dried strawberries straight from the bag and work quickly, as they tend to absorb moisture in the air and will become gummy in your food processor. hands pouring freeze dried strawberries into a food processor.
  4. Add the melted butter to the bowl of crumbs and mix until the butter is evenly distributed and the crumbs are evenly saturated. Set aside while you layer your cake. hand pouring melted butter into a bowl with food processed shortbread cookies and freeze dried strawberries.
  5. If you plan to use the crumbs at a later time, store them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag, they are shelf stable for a week. Or keep them in the freezer to avoid them going stale.  hand holding finished strawberry crunch topping.

Assembling Strawberry Crunch Cake

  1. Starting with a trimmed white layer of cake, smooth a thin even layer of easy buttercream frosting over the cake, and then pipe a dam of buttercream around the edge. You can use any frosting that you like for this cake, whipped cream or cream cheese frosting would also be delicious.hands trimming the dome off a layer of white cake.piping a buttercream dam around a layer of cake.
  2. Spread about 3 tablespoons of strawberry reduction in the center of the dam. hands pouring strawberry puree onto a cake layer with a buttercream dam.
  3. Spread another layer of buttercream on the bottom of the strawberry layer of cake and place it on top. This seals the cake to avoid the strawberry reduction from soaking into the cake layer. hands spreading buttercream onto the bottom of the strawberry layer of cake.
  4. Continue the same layering process with the strawberry flavor cake and then again with the top layer of white cake. hands adding strawberry puree to the next layer of cake.
  5. Give the whole cake a crumb coat to seal and set the buttercream and chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes. hands crumb coating the stacked cake with buttercream.
  6. Frost the cake with the final even coat of buttercream and smooth.hands using a bench scraper to smooth the sides of the cake.
  7. Holding the cake over a sheet pan or large bowl of strawberry crumble, gently coat the sides of the entire cake. You will want to do this while the buttercream is still “sticky,” if it is too cold the crumb will have a harder time sticking to the cake. hands pressing strawberry crunch to the outside of the cake.
  8. I used a pastry ring to guide where I wanted the crumble to go on top of the cake. I did not want any crumbles to fall where I was going to pipe dollops, as they would lift off. Sprinkle strawberry crunch crumbles on the top center of the cake. a hand sprinkling strawberry crunch into a ring on top of the cake. hands removing the ring from the top of the cake.
  9. Using a fluted tip, pipe buttercream dollops around the top edge and place a cut strawberry in each dollop. hands placing a strawberry onto buttercream dollops on top of the cake. picture of finished strawberry crunch cake.

Tips For Success

  • Is this your first time decorating a cake? Watch my free video tutorial on how to decorate a cake for the first time.
  • Use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients for the best results. Baking is a science!
  • I used a stand mixer to make my cakes but you can also use a hand-held electric mixer. If you use a hand-mixer then you may need to mix for longer to achieve the same batter consistency.
  • Room temperature ingredients are important. Make sure your dairy and eggs are slightly warm and your butter is melted but not hot so that your ingredients mix together properly.

FAQ

Can I make a scratch cake instead of using a box mix? 

Yes! I recommend using my White Velvet Cake for the white layers and my Strawberry Cake for the middle layer. You will need to make Strawberry Reduction for either recipe you use, so make it ahead of time. I chose a box mix for this cake because I actually wanted to mimic the flavors of the ice cream bar, which uses some artificial colors and flavoring. 

Can I use fresh strawberries for strawberry crunch?

The advantage of freeze-dried berries for the crunch is that they are already crunchy, fresh berries are going to be great for the reduction and the decor, but they will make the cookies in the crunch soggy. If you do not have freeze-dried strawberries, you can use about 3 tablespoons of strawberry jello powder, just omit the strawberry emulsion.

What is strawberry crunch made of?

Strawberry Crunch, or Strawberry Shortcake Crumble, is a mixture of ground-up shortbread cookies, freeze-dried strawberries, and butter. This nostalgic topping is perfect when sprinkled over ice cream, mixed into yogurt, or used to decorate cakes and cupcakes.

Related Recipes

Fresh strawberry cake recipe

Doctored Strawberry Cake

Freeze Dried Strawberry Cake

White Velvet Buttermilk Cake

Recipe

Print Recipe
4.62 from 21 votes

Strawberry Crunch Cake

Can you hear the ice cream truck music in your head? Slicing into this fragrant strawberry crunch cake will bring you right back to those summer days! Strawberry, vanilla, and nostalgia are all stacked up in an amazing cake!  
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 901kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • 3 6" x 2" pans
  • Food Processor or blender optional
  • Stand Mixer optional

Ingredients

Cake Layers

  • 1 box white cake mix duncan hines
  • 5 ounces all purpose flour (1 cup)
  • 7 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 9 ounces sour cream (1 cup) room temperature
  • 4 ounces unsalted melted butter (½ cup)
  • 8 ounces milk (1 cup) room temperature
  • 4 large egg whites room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ounces strawberry reduction ¼ cup
  • 1 drop red food coloring optional (for the strawberry layer)
  • ½ teaspoon strawberry emulsion optional (for the strawberry layer)

Strawberry Reduction

  • 36 ounces fresh or frozen strawberries (5 cups) thawed
  • 4 ounces granulated sugar (½ cup)
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 pinch salt

Strawberry Crunch

  • 1 ounce freeze-dried strawberries (1 cup)
  • 8 ounces shortbread cookies (2 ½ cups)
  • ½ teaspoon strawberry emulsion (or extract) optional
  • ¼ cup unsalted melted butter
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Strawberry Reduction Instructions

  • Defrost the strawberries or chop up your fresh strawberries. 
  • Add the strawberries and sugar to a heavy bottom sauce pan and stir them together.
  • Cook over medium heat until they begin to break down and release their juices. 
  • Add in lemon zest, extract and salt and turn off the heat. 
  • Blend the berries until smooth using an immersion blender. If you do not have one, carefully pour the berries into your blender. 
  • Over low heat, bring the berries back to a simmer and allow them to reduce until about half (20-30 minutes).
  • Stir occasionally to prevent the berries from burning. The reduction should look like tomato sauce, not watery.
  • Let it cool before using. Reserve ¼ cup of the reduction to be used in the strawberry cake layer. If you are making the reduction ahead, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to use it. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Strawberry Crunch Cake Instructions

  • Prepare 3 six-inch round cake pans with cake goop or parchment paper. 
  • Add the white cake mix, flour, sugar, salt, sour cream, melted butter, milk, egg whites, and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. 
  • Divide the batter into 2 of the 3 prepared pans, if you are using a scale each pan should hold about 17 ounces (or 3 cups) of batter. Leave the remaining third of the batter in the mixing bowl.
  • Add ¼ cup of the strawberry reduction and the (optional) ½ teaspoon of strawberry emulsion to the reserved batter and stir until combined. Add a drop of red food coloring (optional) to counteract the berries turning slightly purple when they bake. 
  • Pour the strawberry cake batter into the third prepared pan.
  • Bake the cake layers at 335°F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The strawberry cake may finish before the white cakes. The added liquid changes the chemistry slightly.
  • Let the cakes cool until you can touch them (about 10 minutes) and flip them out onto a cooling rack until completely cooled.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap and flash freeze for up to an hour before layering the cake. 

Strawberry Crunch Instructions

  • Add the shortbread cookies to the food processor bowl. Pulse until medium crumbs are formed. Don't worry if your crumbs aren't all uniform, but break up the bigger pieces with your hands. 
  • Add the strawberry extract or emulsion to the cookie crumbs and pulse until small crumble pieces are formed and place them in a separate large bowl. Be careful not to create a fine texture, or it will not be crunchy.
  • Add the freeze-dried strawberries to the food processor and pulse until the crumbs are roughly the same size as the shortbread crumbs. Add the strawberry crumbs to the shortbread crumbs. Pro-Tip: Blend your freeze-dried strawberries straight from the bag and work quickly, as they tend to absorb moisture in the air and will become gummy in your food processor. 
  • Add the melted butter to the bowl of crumbs and mix until the butter is evenly distributed and the crumbs are evenly saturated. Set aside while you layer your cake. 
  • If you plan to use the crumbs at a later time, store them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag, they are shelf stable for a week. Or keep them in the freezer to avoid them going stale. 

How to Assemble the Strawberry Crunch Cake

  • Starting with a trimmed white layer of cake, smooth a thin even layer of easy buttercream frosting over the cake, and then pipe a dam of buttercream around the edge.
  • Spread about 3 tablespoons of strawberry reduction in the center of the dam. 
  • Spread another layer of buttercream on the bottom of the strawberry layer of cake and place it on top. This seals the cake to avoid the strawberry reduction from soaking into the cake layer. 
  • Continue the same layering process with the strawberry flavor cake and then again with the top layer of white cake. 
  • Give the whole cake a crumb coat to seal and set the buttercream and chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes. 
  • Frost the cake with the final even coat of buttercream and smooth. 
  • Holding the cake over a sheet pan or large bowl of strawberry crumble, gently coat the sides of the entire cake. You will want to do this while the buttercream is still “sticky”, if it is too cold the crumb will have a harder time sticking to the cake. 
  • I used a pastry ring to guide where I wanted the crumble to go on top of the cake. I did not want crumble to fall where I was going to pipe dollops, as they would lift off. Sprinkle strawberry crunch crumbles on the top center of the cake. 
  • Using a fluted tip pipe buttercream dollops around the top edge and place a cut strawberry in each dollop. 

Video

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start
  1. The best investment you can make when you’re getting started with baking is a digital kitchen scale! Weighing your ingredients will help you avoid cake failure. Using a kitchen scale for baking is super easy and gives you the best results every single time. 
  2. Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
  3. Need more help with making your first cake? Check out my how to decorate your first cake blog post. 
  4. Make sure all of your cold ingredients (e.g. butter, eggs, milk) are at room temperature or a little warm. Why? Because we want to create an emulsion and allow the ingredients to fully mix together. 
  5. Make your own pan release (cake goop!) The best pan release ever! 
  6. Chill your cakes before frosting and filling. You can cover a frosted and chilled cake in fondant if you wish. This cake is also great for stacking!
  7. You can buy pre-made strawberry shortcake crunch if you don't want to make your own.

Nutrition

Calories: 901kcal | Carbohydrates: 140g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 812mg | Potassium: 456mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 84g | Vitamin A: 817IU | Vitamin C: 124mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 4mg

September 12, 2022 Pastries

Profiteroles Recipe

This classic profiteroles recipe is a staple in French pastry and is a great recipe to follow if this is your first time making pâte à choux. Each delightful bite-sized frozen treat is a crisp pastry shell filled with a scoop of homemade vanilla bean gelato and topped with a warm chocolate sauce. If you're a fan of cream puffs and ice cream sandwiches, then you will love this recipe.spoon dripping chocolate glaze on a profiterole

This profiterole recipe is courtesy of our Executive Pastry Chef, Christophe Rull, who will walk you through the basics of making pâte à choux. It's important to have crisp pastry shells with your choux recipes because a soggy profiterole isn't as good as a fresh one. Make the dough and freeze it ahead of time, or bake the choux buns in advance and fill them with vanilla ice cream when you're ready to serve!

Table of contents

  • Profiteroles Ingredients
  • Making Homemade Profiteroles
    • Making the Cream Puff Shells
    • Making the Gelato
    • Making the Chocolate Sauce
  • FAQ
  • Related Recipes

Profiteroles Ingredientsingredients for profiteroles laid out on a table

Vanilla beans give the ultimate flavor, but you may use vanilla paste or extract if you’d like.

Ice Cream Stabilizer is exactly what it sounds like. It keeps water crystals small and soft, making the gelato denser and smoother. This will help the gelato hold its consistency under frozen temperatures. We are using cremodan 30 in this recipe, but you can leave it out if you do not have it.

Glucose is widely used in Europe over corn syrup, but some glucose is made from different plant sources while corn syrup is made from corn starches. It can be hard to find glucose, so you can use corn syrup and it will have the same effect. It’s used to keep the chocolate glaze soft when you put it in the freezer, so you don't have a hard bite of chocolate with your profiterole.

Glucose Powder is used to sweeten and stabilize the gelato. Since this gelato is a cream base, it does not need any more moisture which is why we are using powder over corn syrup.  

64% Dark Chocolate will result in the best flavor for your chocolate sauce. You can use any type of chocolate you'd like, or even store-bought sauce if that is easier. The percentage you see on the chocolate package is the percentage of actual cocoa in it. The higher the percentage, the darker the chocolate. If you prefer milk chocolate, that would be delicious too!

Making Homemade Profiteroles

This choux pastry recipe comes together quickly, but try to plan ahead if you're making all of these components from scratch. The gelato base needs time to chill before churning it, the chocolate sauce needs time to cool before pouring it, and the cream puffs need time to cool down before filling them. Make the gelato first (preferably a day ahead), then the pastry shells, and finally the chocolate ganache sauce when you're ready to serve.profiteroles with ice cream and chocolate glaze

Making the Cream Puff Shells

  1. Add the milk, water, salt, sugar, and butter to a medium saucepan, then bring it to a boil. It is important to make sure that the butter is melting at the same rate the milk is heating so that the milk doesn't boil before the butter is melted. Slowly moving it around with a wooden spoon helps distribute the heat evenly. milk pouring into a pot over a stove
  2. Once the mixture has come to a boil, turn off the heat and add the sifted flour all at once. flour pouring into a pot of milk over the stove
  3. Begin stirring immediately with a wooden spoon, and continue to stir for 1 minute until the flour is fully incorporated, it will look a lot like mashed potatoes. combined ingredients for pate a choux, looks like mashed potatoes
  4. Turn the heat back on to medium-high heat and continue to stir and keep it moving to dry out the dough.pâte à choux cooking in a pot over the stove
  5. Once you see a browning layer on the bottom of the pan, the dough is dry enough and you can remove it from the heat. pâte à choux drying out in a pot over the stove with brown on the bottom of the pot
  6. Put the dough immediately into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and begin to mix to cool it down, this should take about 30 seconds.pouring pâte à choux into a stand mixer bowl
  7. Add the eggs one at a time, letting each egg incorporate fully before the next. Mix on low until the dough is fully combined with no spots of dry flour, and stiff enough to hold its shape, but pull to a soft peak when picking up the spoon. pouring eggs into pâte à choux in a stand mixer bowlfinished pouring eggs into pâte à choux dough
  8. Prepare a pastry bag with a large round tip, Christophe is using an Ateco 809 tip. Fill the piping bag with the dough.pâte à choux going into a piping bag
  9. On to a prepared baking tray, pipe the pâte à choux rounds slightly smaller than your desired final size, as they will “puff” and expand in the oven. Chef Christophe is using a "silpain" baking mat, but parchment paper will work as well.piping cream puff dough onto a baking sheet
  10. Gently smooth the top of the cream puff with a wet finger.gloved finger touching the top of an unbaked cream puff to remove the point
  11. Bake at 350°F (176°C) for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack to room temperature for about 30 minutes.baking tray of finished golden cream puffsbottom of a golden brown baked cream puff

Making the Gelato

  1. Add the milk, cream, half of the sugar, glucose powder, and the vanilla bean to a medium saucepan over the stove, stir with a spatula and cook it over medium heat until the mixture reaches 80°C (175°F).adding vanilla bean seeds to a pot of milk
  2. Mix about half of the remaining sugar into the ice cream stabilizer, and stir it together well to avoid lumps. We're using cremodan 30, but you can leave it out if desired.
  3. At 80°C (175°F), add the sugar and stabilizer mixture to the pot and whisk constantly.adding ice cream stabilizer to a pot of milk
  4. Mix together the rest of the sugar (¼ of the total sugar) into the egg yolks.pouring sugar into a bowl of egg yolks
  5. Bring the milk mixture to a simmer and turn off the heat.pot of simmering milk
  6. Add about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the eggs and stir it together until combined. This is called tempering the eggs and will help prevent lumps in your gelato.pot of steaming milk being poured into a small bowl of eggs
  7. Add the egg and milk mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat until it reaches 83°C (181°F). Stir around the bottom and sides of the pan in a figure-eight shape to prevent burning.pouring tempered eggs into a pot of steaming milk
  8. Pour the ice cream base into a medium bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour until completely cooled, or place it in an ice bath to cool it down faster.pouring ice cream base into a bowl on top of an ice bath
  9. Add ice and ice cream salt around the outside of your ice cream machine bowl. I'm using a Bosch universal plus stand mixer with an ice cream attachment in the center.pouring ice cream salt on top of ice into an ice cream maker
  10. Pour the base in the center and mix on high for about 20 minutes until the ice cream is thick. Churn the cooled-down ice cream base in an ice cream machine.pouring ice cream base into an ice cream makerspatula with homemade gelato in an ice cream maker

Making the Chocolate Sauce

  1. Heat the glucose in the microwave for about 15 seconds until it is very liquid.
  2. Add the glucose and milk to a small saucepan over the stove, stir with a spatula and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.pouring a container of milk into a pot over the stove
  3. Fill a large measuring cup with the chocolate and pour the milk mixture over the top. Wait for about 1 minute until the chocolate melts.pouring hot milk over chocolate in a mixing cup
  4. Blend the chocolate sauce with an immersion blender until smooth and fully combined. You can use a whisk if that's all you have.mixing chocolate glaze with an immersion blender
  5. Refrigerate the sauce until it's completely cold, about 30 minutes.
  6. Fill a pastry bag with the sauce and snip off the tip.

Assembling the Profiteroles

  1. Take your gelato (or ice cream) out of the freezer to start warming up so that it's easy to scoop.oval bowl filled with vanilla gelato
  2. Slice the fully cooled cream puff in half with a serrated knife, this will avoid crushing the hollow shell. serrated knife cutting through a cream puff
  3. Place a small scoop of ice cream on the bottom half of the cream puff and add the top lid.placing a scoop of gelato onto the bottom of a cream puff
  4. Keep the profiteroles on a baking sheet and move them in and out of the freezer as you're assembling to keep the ice cream from melting.
  5. Pipe the chocolate sauce on top when you're ready to serve.profiteroles with ice cream and chocolate glaze
  6. Freeze the profiteroles in an airtight container for 1-2 days.

FAQ

What is the difference between a cream puff and a profiterole?

The main difference is the filling. Cream puffs are typically filled with vanilla pastry cream or whipped cream, while profiteroles are filled with ice cream and topped with a chocolate glaze.

Can I make profiteroles a day ahead?

Yes, pipe your choux dough into balls and freeze them on a sheet pan, then let them thaw out and bake when you're ready to serve. You can also bake them, store them in an airtight container and re-crisp them in the oven before filling.

How long will profiteroles keep?

 Once you fill them with ice cream, freeze them right away and they can keep up to 1-2 days.

How do you keep profiteroles crisp?

Sadly profiteroles are made with pate a choux which tends to go soggy once refrigerated or frozen. After baking, make sure to let them cool fully on a wire rack so that they dry out. Before filling them, you can re-crisp cream puffs by placing them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes on the day you intend to use them.

Why didn’t my profiteroles puff?

The eggs must then be added little by little, while you beat the batter as vigorously as possible, both to incorporate them and to add air to help it rise. The dough also needs to be dried enough so that they develop a hollow inside.

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Recipe

spoon dripping chocolate glaze on a profiterole
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Profiteroles Recipe

Learn how to make classic profiteroles with homemade choux pastry balls, creamy vanilla gelato from scratch, and a soft chocolate glaze. Profiteroles can also be filled with pastry cream or whipped cream and topped with a caramel sauce or a dusting of powdered sugar. Use store-bought ice cream and pre-made chocolate sauce for easy profiteroles on a hot summer's day.
Prep Time1 hour hr
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Chilling Time3 hours hrs
Total Time4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Servings: 36 profiteroles
Calories: 130kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • emersion blender optional
  • Piping Bags
  • Silpain baking mat optional

Ingredients

Cream Puff Shells Ingredients

  • 160 grams whole milk
  • 160 grams water
  • 4 grams salt
  • 6 grams granulated sugar
  • 140 grams unsalted butter European, like plugra
  • 180 grams all-purpose flour sifted
  • 200 grams large eggs

Vanilla Gelato Ingredients

  • 500 grams whole milk
  • 170 grams heavy cream
  • 130 grams granulated sugar
  • 30 grams glucose powder
  • 4 grams ice cream stabilizer cremodan 30
  • 1 whole vanilla bean
  • 30 grams egg yolks

Chocolate Sauce Ingredients

  • 220 grams whole milk
  • 120 grams glucose
  • 180 grams 64% dark chocolate

Instructions

Making the Cream Puff Shells

  • Add the milk, water, salt, sugar, and butter to a medium saucepan, then bring it to a boil. It is important to make sure that the butter is melting at the same rate the milk is heating so that the milk doesn't boil before the butter is melted. Slowly moving it around with a wooden spoon helps distribute the heat evenly. 
  • Once the mixture has come to a boil, turn off the heat and add the sifted flour all at once. 
  • Begin stirring immediately with a wooden spoon, and continue to stir for 1 minute until the flour is fully incorporated, it will look a lot like mashed potatoes. 
  • Turn the heat back on to medium-high heat and continue to stir and keep it moving to dry out the dough.
  • Once you see a browning layer on the bottom of the pan, the dough is dry enough and you can remove it from the heat. 
  • Put the dough immediately into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and begin to mix to cool it down, this should take about 30 seconds.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, letting each egg incorporate fully before the next. Mix on low until the dough is fully combined with no spots of dry flour, and stiff enough to hold its shape, but pull to a soft peak when picking up the spoon. 
  • Prepare a pastry bag with a large round tip, Christophe is using an Ateco 809 tip. Fill the piping bag with the dough.
  • On to a prepared baking tray, pipe the pâte à choux rounds slightly smaller than your desired final size, as they will “puff” and expand in the oven. Chef Christophe is using a "silpain" baking mat, but parchment paper will work as well.
  • Gently smooth the top of the cream puff with a wet finger.
  • Bake at 350°F (176°C) for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack to room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Making the Gelato

  • Add the milk, cream, half of the sugar, glucose powder, and the vanilla bean to a medium saucepan over the stove, stir with a spatula and cook it over medium heat until the mixture reaches 80°C (175°F).
  • Mix about half of the remaining sugar into the ice cream stabilizer, and stir it together well to avoid lumps. We're using cremodan 30, but you can leave it out if desired.
  • At 80°C (175°F), add the sugar and stabilizer mixture to the pot and whisk constantly.
  • Mix together the rest of the sugar (¼ of the total sugar) into the egg yolks.
  • Bring the milk mixture to a simmer and turn off the heat.
  • Add about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the eggs and stir it together until combined. This is called tempering the eggs and will help prevent lumps in your gelato.
  • Add the egg and milk mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat until it reaches 83°C (181°F). Stir around the bottom and sides of the pan in a figure-eight shape to prevent burning.
  • Pour the ice cream base into a medium bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour until completely cooled, or place it in an ice bath to cool it down faster.
  • Add ice and ice cream salt around the outside of your ice cream machine bowl. I'm using a Bosch universal plus stand mixer with an ice cream attachment in the center.
  • Pour the base in the center and mix on high for about 20 minutes until the ice cream is thick. Churn the cooled-down ice cream base in an ice cream machine.

Making the Chocolate Sauce

  • Heat the glucose in the microwave for about 15 seconds until it is very liquid.
  • Add the glucose and milk to a small saucepan over the stove, stir with a spatula and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.
  • Fill a large measuring cup with the chocolate and pour the milk mixture over the top. Wait for about 1 minute until the chocolate melts.
  • Blend the chocolate sauce with an immersion blender until smooth and fully combined. You can use a whisk if that's all you have.
  • Refrigerate the sauce until it's completely cold, about 30 minutes.
  • Fill a pastry bag with the sauce and snip off the tip.

Assembling the Profiteroles

  • Take your gelato (or ice cream) out of the freezer to start warming up so that it's easy to scoop.
  • Slice the fully cooled cream puff in half with a serrated knife, this will avoid crushing the hollow shell. 
  • Place a small scoop of ice cream on the bottom half of the cream puff and add the top lid.
  • Keep the profiteroles on a baking sheet and move them in and out of the freezer as you're assembling to keep the ice cream from melting.
  • Pipe the chocolate sauce on top when you're ready to serve.

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start
1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature or even a little warm (eggs, buttermilk, butter, etc). 
2. Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe. 
3. Practice Mise en Place (everything in it’s place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
4. What is the difference between cream puffs and profiteroles? Cream puffs are typically filled with vanilla pastry cream or whipped cream, while profiteroles are filled with ice cream and topped with a chocolate glaze.
5. Profiteroles are made with pate a choux which tends to go soggy once refrigerated or frozen. After baking, make sure to let them cool fully on a wire rack so that they dry out. Before filling them, you can re-crisp cream puffs by placing them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes on the day you intend to use them.

Nutrition

Serving: 1profiterole | Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 249IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

September 7, 2022 Pastries

Cream Puff Recipe

This cream puff recipe is a simple classic French dessert that balances sweet, rich, soft, and crunchy all in one fluffy little bite! They are slightly crisp on the exterior, soft and chewy on the inside, and filled with a sweet light vanilla bean whipped cream or pastry cream. Chef Christophe shows us how to make and elevate this simple elegant dessert at home. photo of cream puffs filled with whipped cream

The foundation of the perfect cream puff is a light and airy classic French dough. Pâte à choux is a basic recipe that is the base for many delicious French pastries: eclairs, savory gougères, churros, cruller donuts, beignets, gnocchi, profiteroles, and more. Homemade cream puffs are the best because you get to enjoy them immediately while they’re still crisp, you will never buy one from the store again!  

Table of Contents

  • Cream Puff Ingredients
  • Making Homemade Cream Puffs
    • Making the Pâte à Choux
    • Making the Whipped Cream
    • Filling the Cream Puffs
  • Storing Homemade Cream Puffs
    • Storing Baked Cream Puff Shells
    • Storing Cream Puff Dough
  • Tips For Baking From Scratch
  • Related Recipes 
  • FAQ

Cream Puff Ingredientsphoto of cream puff ingredients

European butter will result in better pastries and flavor because it has a higher fat content (83%) than American butter. More fat and less water equal more flavor and better baking results. 

Whole milk is ideal for this recipe due to its fat content. In some recipes, lower fat milk will work fine, but when working with classic French recipes it's best to use what is recommended for the best results. 

Salt, even the smallest of pinches, can set your pastry apart from the rest. It enhances all flavors and highlights the sweetness of a pastry. 

Eggs are the backbone of this dough, without them, they won’t “puff”. 

Making Homemade Cream Puffs

Classic cream puffs come together in a few stages, make the pâte à choux first, pipe it, bake the shells, and make the whipped cream filling while the shells cool. You can also fill the cream puffs with pastry cream, just make it ahead of time so that it has time to cool as well.

Making the Pâte à Choux

  1. Add the milk, water, salt, sugar, and butter to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. It is important to make sure that the butter is melting at the same rate the milk is heating so that the milk doesn't boil before the butter is melted. Slowly moving it around with a wooden spoon helps distribute the heat evenly. milk pouring into a pot over a stove
  2. Once the mixture has come to a boil, turn off the heat and add the sifted flour. flour pouring into a pot of milk over the stove
  3. Begin stirring immediately with a wooden spoon, and continue to stir for 1 minute until the flour is fully incorporated, it will look a lot like mashed potatoes. combined ingredients for pate a choux, looks like mashed potatoes
  4. Turn the heat back on to medium-high heat and continue to stir and keep it moving to dry out the dough.pâte à choux cooking in a pot over the stove
  5. Once you see a browning layer on the bottom of your saucepan the dough is dry enough and remove it from the heat. This is important, as it will help your cream puffs “puff” and ensure that they have a hollow center for the cream filling.pâte à choux drying out in a pot over the stove with brown on the bottom of the pot
  6. Put the dough immediately into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and begin to mix to cool it down, this should take about 30 seconds. When you can place your hand on the side of the bowl without it feeling too hot, it’s done. pouring pâte à choux into a stand mixer bowl
  7. Add the eggs one at a time, letting each egg incorporate fully before the next. The dough should be fully combined with no spots of dry flour, and stiff enough to hold its shape, but pull to a soft peak when picking up the spoon. pouring eggs into pâte à choux in a stand mixer bowlfinished pouring eggs into pâte à choux dough
  8. Prepare a piping bag with a large round tip, Christophe is using an Ateco 809 tip. Fill the piping bag with the dough.pâte à choux going into a piping bag
  9. Pipe the pâte à choux rounds slightly smaller than your desired final size (about 2-inches), as they will “puff” and expand in the oven. Chef Christophe is using a "silpain" baking mat on a cookie sheet, but parchment paper will work as well.piping cream puff dough onto a baking sheet
  10. Gently smooth the top of the cream puff with a damp fingertip.gloved finger touching the top of an unbaked cream puff to remove the point
  11. Bake the cream puffs at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. baking tray of finished golden cream puffs
  12. Cool the cream puffs completely to room temperature on a wire rack, for about 30 minutes. bottom of a golden brown baked cream puff

Making the Whipped Cream

  1. Split the vanilla pod in half with a sharp knife and scrape the beans. Add the beans to the heavy cream and mix briefly so the beans distribute evenly. knife slicing through a vanilla bean to remove the seeds
  2. Place a strainer directly over your mixing bowl and strain the cream and vanilla beans to remove the larger fibers from the cream.pouring the cream into a strainer over a stand mixer bowl
  3. Add the powdered sugar to the cream in the mixer. adding powdered sugar to whipped cream in a stand mixer bowl
  4. Whip the cream on medium-high speed with the whisk attachment for about 5 minutes until medium to stiff peaks. Keep the whipped cream cold until you are ready to use it. spatula of finished whipped cream

Filling the Cream Puffs

  1. Fill a pastry bag with the prepared whipped cream. Christophe chose a star tip, but any larger tip will do. plastic piping bag pushed into a piping tip to create a seal
  2. Slice the fully cooled cream puff in half with a serrated knife, this will avoid crushing the hollow shell. You can also insert a piping tip into a small hole on the bottom of the cream puff and fill the cream puffs in the center.serrated knife cutting through a cream puff
  3. Pipe a generous amount of whipped cream into the bottom half and gently place the top on, do not squish them down so you can still see the beautiful filling. piping bag piping whipped cream onto a cream pufffinger pushing the lid of a cream puff on top of whipped cream
  4. Sift a light dusting of powdered sugar on top. photo of cream puffs filled with whipped cream

Storing Homemade Cream Puffs

Cream puffs are meant to be eaten the same day as they are made. The moisture of the filling will cause the cream puff to soften and lose its crunch. So the sooner you can serve the cream puffs, the better.

Storing Baked Cream Puff Shells

Cool them completely, wrap them well in plastic wrap, and store them at room temperature. They can also be frozen if you do not plan to use them in the next day or so. If your cream puffs have softened they can be crisped up in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.

Storing Cream Puff Dough

If you don’t plan to serve your puffs the same day, pipe and freeze the cream puff dough to be baked and filled as needed. Just place them on a baking sheet and let them thaw slightly and bake as directed. If you have leftover filled cream puffs, store them in an airtight container in the fridge, they will be soft, but still delicious. cream puff cut in half to show a golden hollow inside

Tips For Baking From Scratch

*This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click on them I might get a few pennies.

I suggest purchasing a kitchen scale if you don’t already have one to make the best scratch recipes. One cup of flour can vary from scoop to scoop depending on how packed the flour is, humidity, and the type of flour, which can ruin your recipe. All my cake recipes (except doctored box mixes) use a scale. All of Chef Christophe's recipes are measured in grams, and a scale is necessary.

Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place) which means you measure everything before you start mixing so you don’t accidentally forget something or add any ingredients out of order. I use a set of medium and small pyrex glass bowls I got from goodwill for this and it makes things SO much easier.

Related Recipes 

Pastry cream

Lemon curd

Chocolate mousse

Mille-Feuille

FAQ

What is the difference between an eclair and a cream puff?

Eclairs and cream puffs are both made from the same choux pastry dough, but the difference is the shape and the filling. Eclairs have a long, rectangular shape and are filled with pastry cream and topped with a chocolate glaze. Cream puffs are round and can be filled on the inside or sliced in half and filled.

Do you have to refrigerate cream puffs?

After filling the cream puffs, they must be refrigerated and can last up to 2-3 days in an airtight container. If you're baking the shells ahead of time, they do not need to be refrigerated until filling.

Can I make cream puffs ahead of time?

Yes, you can bake your cream puffs ahead a few different ways. Pipe your dough onto a baking sheet and freeze it, then let them thaw out and bake whenever you're ready to fill and serve them. Or you can bake your cream puff shells and freeze them, then refresh them in the oven by baking at 350°F for 5 minutes until they're crisp again. Whatever you do, don't fill them and keep them in the fridge or freezer for too long because that will make your cream puffs soggy.

What is pâte à choux?

Pâte à choux (also known as Choux dough) is a delicate French pastry dough used for cream puffs, eclairs, savory gougères, churros, cruller donuts, beignets, gnocchi, profiteroles, and more. Choux dough is a cross between a dough and a batter and is a staple in pastry.

Why do I need to use a wooden spoon? 

Using a wooden spoon for choux is recommended because it provides a strong handle to move the stiff dough around the pot. Using a silicone spatula may be too flexible and won’t mix and dry the dough as efficiently. Also, this is what French chefs recommend and I am not going to argue with a French chef. 

Why are my cream puffs soggy? 

If they did not bake long enough they can become soft as they cool because not enough moisture was baked out of them. Also, if the dough was not dried properly it will remain soft when baked. If you fill them too far in advance the shell will become soft from the moisture in the filling. 

What else can I fill cream puffs with?

In this recipe, we fill the cream puffs with chantilly cream, which is a sweet whipped cream. You can fill cream puffs with many different things, a simple vanilla pastry cream, bavarian cream, chocolate mousse, ice cream, or even lemon curd. You can drizzle the top with chocolate ganache or dust with cocoa powder as well.

Recipe

photo of cream puffs filled with whipped cream
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Cream Puff Recipe

Pâte à choux may sound intimidating, but cream puffs are surprisingly easy to make at home! Made with just 5 ingredients, this basic recipe is a perfect intro to choux pastry. Fill them with a smooth and sweet whipped cream for the perfect compliment to the crisp cream puff.
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Cooling time30 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Servings: 32 cream puffs
Calories: 72kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 Piping Bag
  • 1 Piping tip
  • 1 Silpain baking mat or parchment paper

Ingredients

Cream Puff Ingredients

  • 160 grams whole milk
  • 160 grams water
  • 4 grams salt
  • 6 grams granulated sugar
  • 140 grams unsalted butter European butter (Plugra)
  • 180 grams all-purpose flour sifted
  • 200 grams large eggs

Whipped Cream Ingredients

  • 1 whole vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 480 grams cold heavy whipping cream
  • 65 grams powdered sugar
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making the Pâte à Choux

  • Add the milk, water, salt, sugar, and butter to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. It is important to make sure that the butter is melting at the same rate the milk is heating so that the milk doesn't boil before the butter is melted. Slowly moving it around with a wooden spoon helps distribute the heat evenly. 
  • Once the mixture has come to a boil, turn off the heat and add the sifted flour. 
  • Begin stirring immediately with a wooden spoon, and continue to stir for 1 minute until the flour is fully incorporated, it will look a lot like mashed potatoes. 
  • Turn the heat back on to medium-high heat and continue to stir and keep it moving to dry out the dough.
  • Once you see a browning layer on the bottom of your saucepan the dough is dry enough and remove it from the heat. This is important, as it will help your cream puffs “puff” and ensure that they have a hollow center for the cream filling.
  • Put the dough immediately into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and begin to mix to cool it down, this should take about 30 seconds. When you can place your hand on the side of the bowl without it feeling too hot, it’s done.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, letting each egg incorporate fully before the next. The dough should be fully combined with no spots of dry flour, and stiff enough to hold its shape, but pull to a soft peak when picking up the spoon. 
  • Prepare a piping bag with a large round tip, Christophe is using an Ateco 809 tip. Fill the piping bag with the dough.
  • Pipe the pâte à choux rounds slightly smaller than your desired final size (about 2-inches), as they will “puff” and expand in the oven.
  • Gently smooth the top of the cream puff with a damp fingertip.
  • Bake the cream puffs at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. 
  • Cool the cream puffs completely to room temperature on a wire rack, for about 30 minutes. 

Making the Whipped Cream

  • Split the vanilla pod in half with a sharp knife and scrape the beans. Add the beans to the heavy cream and mix briefly so the beans distribute evenly. 
  • Place a strainer directly over your mixing bowl and strain the cream and vanilla beans to remove the larger fibers from the cream.
  • Add the powdered sugar to the cream in the mixer. 
  • Whip the cream on medium-high speed with the whisk attachment for about 5 minutes until medium to stiff peaks. Keep the whipped cream cold until you are ready to use it. 

Filling the Cream Puffs

  • Fill a pastry bag with the prepared whipped cream. Christophe chose a star tip, but any larger tip will do. 
  • Slice the fully cooled cream puff in half with a serrated knife, this will avoid crushing the hollow shell. You can also insert a piping tip into a small hole on the bottom of the cream puff and fill the cream puffs in the center.
  • Pipe a generous amount of whipped cream into the bottom half and gently place the top on, do not squish them down so you can still see the beautiful filling. 
  • Sift a light dusting of powdered sugar on top. 
  • Cream puffs are meant to be eaten the same day as they are made. The moisture of the filling will cause the cream puff to soften and lose its crunch. So the sooner you can serve the cream puffs, the better. If you don't eat them all, store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Video

Notes

Storing Baked Cream Puff Shells: Cool them completely, wrap them well in plastic wrap, and store them at room temperature. They can also be frozen if you do not plan to use them in the next day or so. If your cream puffs have softened they can be crisped up in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.
Storing Cream Puff Dough: If you don’t plan to serve your puffs the same day, pipe and freeze the cream puff dough to be baked and filled as needed. Just place them on a baking sheet and let them thaw slightly and bake as directed. If you have leftover filled cream puffs, store them in an airtight container in the fridge, they will be soft, but still delicious. 
Chef Christophe is using a "silpain" baking mat on a cookie sheet to create the perfect golden cream puffs, but parchment paper will work as well.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cream puff | Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.4mg

September 2, 2022 Pies And Tarts

Apple Tart Recipe

This Apple Tart Recipe is made with a tender pâte sucrée crust, filled with soft, nutty almond cream and topped with fresh crisp apples, sweet caramel sauce, and toasted almonds. Make the full recipe for two delicious apple tarts, or cut it in half for one.

Photo of finished Apple Tarte

This apple tart is made with two of Chef Christophe Rull’s favorite fall recipes, a decadent almond cream, and a melt-in-your-mouth pâte sucrèe. The crisp apples layered on top add a sweet flavor and crunchy texture that make for a classic French apple tart.

What's In This Blog Post?

  • Apple Tart Ingredients
  • Making the Apple Tart
    • Making The Pâte Sucrèe
    • Making The Tart Shell
    • Making The Almond Cream
    • Assembling The Apple Tart
    • Decorating The Apple Tart
  • FAQ
  • Related Recipes

Apple Tart Ingredients

Apple Tarte ingredient photo

Gala Apples work best for this recipe because they have a sweeter flavor. You can use any apples you like depending on how sweet or tart you want your apples to be. 

Almond flour retains more moisture and also adds a nuttier flavor to the dough, which is what we want for this recipe. 

European butter is great for making doughs because the fat percentage is higher and water content is lower which makes the tart flakier and gives it a richer flavor. If you can’t find European butter in your local store you can use any butter that you have available. 

Vanilla Beans are great to use because they give the ultimate flavor without adding extra sugar or alcohol content. If you don’t have vanilla beans, vanilla bean paste or extract will work just fine. 

Rum enhances the flavors of this recipe but you can use another type of liqueur or leave it out if you wish.

Making the Apple Tart

The first thing you want to do is make the tart dough because it needs at least 2 hours to chill. You can make this and shape the shells ahead of time, but I'd recommend making the almond cream when you're ready to assemble and bake the tarts so that it stays soft enough to pipe.

Making The Pâte Sucrèe

  1. Add the softened butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. I'm using my Bosch universal plus mixer, but you can use a large bowl and an electric mixer if you prefer. I wouldn't recommend using a food processor for this recipe.hand adding bowl of powdered sugar to stand mixer bowl.
  2. Add the fresh vanilla bean seeds and continue to mix until incorporated.hands holding a knife covered in vanilla to scrape and add vanilla to the bowl.
  3. Next, slowly add the eggs and continue to mix on low until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. hand pouring eggs into bowl of stand mixer.
  4. Add the almond flour and mix for a few seconds then add the flour and salt.hand adding almond flour to bowl of stand mixer.
  5. Once all the ingredients have been added, continue mixing on low for 15 seconds until all ingredients are just combined and a dough starts to form. Be careful to not overmix.picture of dough on spatula
  6. Place the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a rectangle. Pro Tip: Forming the dough into a rectangle helps all parts of the dough chill evenly. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until it becomes firm to the touch. hands wrapping dough in plastic wrap.

Making The Tart Shell

  1. Once the dough is chilled, take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before rolling it out. Room temperature dough will roll out easier. Remove it from the plastic wrap and cut it in half, setting one half aside.hands using a knife to cut tart dough in half.
  2. Flour your surface and roll out one-half of your dough using a rolling pin until it is about ⅛ inch thick. hands using rolling pins to roll dough.
  3. Next, gently place the 6" tart ring on your rolled dough to use it as a guide. This perforated tart shell ring allows the tart to bake more evenly because the heat is well distributed. You can also use any fluted tart shell ring with a removable bottom if you prefer.
  4. Using a sharp knife, cut about 2 inches out from your tart ring (about 10 inches), this will give you enough dough to cover the bottom and sides of your ring with a little extra. hand using knife to cut circular shape out of tart dough.
  5. Repeat with the other half of your dough.
  6. Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the tart pan. Work your fingers around the shell slowly making your way towards the bottom taking care to not press too hard or tear the dough.hands firmly pressing dough into tart shell.
  7. Use a knife to trim the access dough from the top of your shell. Pro Tip: Hold the knife facing away from the tart shell and glide it flat along the top edge of the ring while using your other hand to turn the tart ring. This makes it easy to cut and leaves a super smooth top edge!hand using knife to cut excess off the top of the tart ring.
  8. Make sure the bottom edge of the tart shell is at a 90-degree angle with the ring, this will shrink as the dough bakes and will leave you with a straighter edge.showing the bottom of the tart shell
  9. Place your tart rings on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  10. Refrigerate the tart rings while you make the almond cream.

Making The Almond Cream

  1. First, add the sugar and butter into the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until smooth. hand pouring bowl of sugar into stand mixer bowl.
  2. Add the vanilla bean and mix for 10 seconds, scrape the bowl, and then continue to mix for another 10 seconds. 
  3. Next, add your eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl if needed.hand adding bowl of eggs into stand mixer bowl.
  4. Then add the almond flour and mix for a few seconds, add the rum and continue mixing on low speed until the mixture is smooth. hand adding almond flour into stand mixer bowl.
  5. Prepare a piping bag with a metal round tip and fill the bag with the almond cream.hand scooping almond cream into piping bag

Assembling The Apple Tart

  1. Preheat the oven to 360°F (162° C).
  2. Pipe the almond cream into your chilled tart shells using a spiral motion filling about ⅓ of the way up, then set it aside. Pro Tip: To form a perfect spiral, start from the center of the tart and slowly move outwards using a spiral formation. hand using piping bag to pipe almond cream.
  3. Peel and core the apples, then cut them in half so that they're face down on the cutting board. Slice them into thin slices with a small pairing knife, removing any leftover seeds or core pieces from the slices. Pro Tip: Keep keep your slices uniform in size so that they bake evenly and soak them in lemon juice so that they don't brown.hands using knife to cut apples into slices.
  4. Place the apple slices nicely inside of the tart on top of the almond cream, layering them slightly and fanning them into a circle in the tart shell. Hands placing apple slices nicely into tart.
  5. Brush melted butter on top of the tart dough and apples using a pastry brush.hands brushing melted butter on to apple tart.
  6. Sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar to help give the apples a hint of caramel flavor.hands sprinkling brown sugar on top of tart.
  7. Bake the tarts at 360°F (162° C) for about 30 minutes or until the tart crust looks golden brown.picture of baked apple tarts.
  8. Set the tarts aside on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

Decorating The Apple Tart

  1. Make a simple syrup out of corn syrup and water by mixing them together and bringing them to a boil, then cool it down. Brush the glaze over the top of the tart for a little extra sweetness and shine. You can also melt some apricot preserves and use that to brush over the top.hand brushing simple syrup onto apple tart.
  2. Drizzle or pipe some caramel (store-bought or homemade) in a circle around the tart.Hand using piping bag to pipe caramel around tart.
  3. Add some chopped toasted almonds along the caramel design. hands adding toasted almonds to tart.
  4. Place a medium bowl that's slightly smaller than your tart on top so that everything but the top edge is covered. Sift some powdered sugar around the edge of the tart. Remove the bowl and you will be left with an even line of powdered sugar dusted along the edge of the tart. hand sifting powdered sugar with sifter on top of tart.
  5. These apple tarts are best served immediately and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. They can be stored for up to a week in the fridge and are should be eaten within 1-2 days after being baked.picture of sliced tartpicture of decorated tart

FAQ

What kind of apple works best for an apple tart?

Gala apples work best for an apple tart because they are on the sweeter side but are still firm enough to hold their shape while baking. You can use granny smith apples if you like a more acidic and tart flavor, or a combination of apples if you prefer. Pink lady, honey crisp, or golden delicious apples are also good options.

What type of dough is best for an apple tart?

A traditional pâte sucrèe (or sweet dough) is the perfect crust for an apple tart because it has a nice flaky crunch and will melt in your mouth. It's different from the classic pie dough that uses cold butter and flour because it contains eggs and sugar and is similar to a shortbread cookie. There is also no need to egg wash like you would a typical pie dough, it will brown evenly in the oven.

How do you cut apples for apple tart?

Peel and core the apples and remove any seeds, then cut them in half so that they're face down on the cutting board. Slice them into very thin slices with a small pairing knife and make sure the slices are as even as possible so that they bake well.

Can I make these apple tarts in advance?

Yes, to make these in advance, make the dough and shape the tart rings, then freeze them. Fill and bake the tarts when you're ready to serve. These apple tarts are best served within a day or two after baking.

What is the difference between pies and tarts?

While pies and tarts both often include some sort of fruit or custard and a buttery crust, they are fundamentally different. Tarts only have a bottom crust and it is usually a thicker sweet pastry crust rather than a pie crust or puff pastry crust. Additionally, a tart looks cleaner and more refined than a traditional rustic pie.

Related Recipes

Lemon Tart

Apple Filling

Apple Galette

Fresh Apple Cake

Recipe

Photo of finished Apple Tarte
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Apple Tart Recipe

This apple tart recipe is the perfect alternative to the traditional apple pie. Make the buttery pate sucrèe a day ahead, then fill it with the almond cream and fresh apples when you’re ready to bake and serve. Elevate your fall dessert cookbook with this elegant French-style tart.
Prep Time45 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Chill Time2 hours hrs
Total Time3 hours hrs
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Servings: 2 6-inch tarts
Calories: 2537kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • 2 8-inch Tart Rings

Ingredients

Pâte Sucrée ( Sweet Doug)

  • 300 grams All Purpose Flour
  • 150 grams Powdered Sugar
  • 150 grams European Unsalted Butter American butter is okay too
  • 75 grams Eggs
  • 40 grams Almond Flour
  • 3 grams Salt

Almond Cream

  • 100 grams Unsalted Butter
  • 100 grams Granulated Sugar
  • 100 grams Almond Flour
  • 100 grams Eggs
  • 8 grams Rum optional
  • 1 fresh Vanilla Bean or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Decoration

  • 2 large Gala Apples (or apples of your choice)
  • 30 grams Toasted Almonds Optional (for decoration)
  • 10 grams Caramel Sauce Optional (for decoration)
  • 10 grams Powdered Sugar Optional (for decoration)
  • 30 grams corn syrup Optional (for glazing)
  • 30 grams water Optional (for glazing)

Instructions

Making The Pâte Sucrée

  • Add the softened butter and powdered sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
  • Add the fresh vanilla bean seeds and continue to mix until incorporated.
  • Next, slowly add the eggs and continue to mix on low until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. 
  • Add the almond flour and mix for a few seconds then add the flour and salt.
  • Once all the ingredients have been added, continue mixing on low for 15 seconds until all ingredients are just combined and a dough starts to form. Be careful to not overmix.  
  • Place the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a rectangle. Pro Tip: Forming the dough into a rectangle helps all parts of the dough chill evenly. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until it becomes firm to the touch. 

Making The Tart Shells

  • Once the dough is chilled, take it out of the fridge for about 30 minutes before rolling it out. Room temperature dough will roll out easier. Remove it from the plastic wrap and cut it in half, setting one half aside.
  • Flour your surface and roll out one-half of your dough using a rolling pin until it is about ⅛ inch thick. 
  • Next, gently place the 8" tart ring on your rolled dough to use it as a guide. This perforated tart shell ring allows the tart to bake more evenly because the heat is well distributed. You can also use any fluted tart shell ring with a removable bottom if you prefer.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut about 2 inches out from your tart ring (about 10 inches), this will give you enough dough to cover the bottom and sides of your ring with a little extra. 
  • Repeat with the other half of your dough, or chill it to use another time.
  • Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the tart pan. Work your fingers around the shell slowly making your way towards the bottom taking care to not press too hard or tear the dough.
  • Use a knife to trim the access dough from the top of your shell. Pro Tip: Hold the knife facing away from the tart shell and glide it flat along the top edge of the ring while using your other hand to turn the tart ring. This makes it easy to cut and leaves a super smooth top edge!
  • Make sure the bottom edge of the tart shell is at a 90-degree angle with the ring, this will shrink as the dough bakes and will leave you with a straighter edge.
  • Place your tart rings on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Refrigerate the tart rings while you make the almond cream.

Making The Almond Cream

  • First, add the sugar and butter into the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until smooth. 
  • Add the vanilla bean and mix for 10 seconds, scrape the bowl, and then continue to mix for another 10 seconds. 
  • Next, add your eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl if needed. 
  • Then add the almond flour and mix for a few seconds, add the rum and continue mixing on low speed until the mixture is smooth. 
  • Prepare a piping bag with a metal round tip and fill the bag with the almond cream.

Assembling The Apple Tart

  • Preheat the oven to 360°F (162° C).
  • Pipe the almond cream into your chilled tart shells using a spiral motion filling about ⅓ of the way up, then set it aside. Pro Tip: To form a perfect spiral, start from the center of the tart and slowly move outwards using a spiral formation. 
  • Peel and core the apples, then cut them in half so that they're face down on the cutting board. Slice them into thin slices with a small pairing knife, removing any leftover seeds or core pieces from the slices. Pro Tip: Keep keep your slices uniform in size so that they bake evenly and soak them in lemon juice so that they don't brown.
  • Place the apple slices nicely inside of the tart on top of the almond cream, layering them slightly and fanning them into a circle in the tart shell. 
  • Brush melted butter on top of the tart dough and apples using a pastry brush. 
  • Sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar to help give the apples a hint of caramel flavor.
  • Bake the tarts at 360°F (162° C) for about 30 minutes or until the tart crust looks golden brown.
  • Set the tarts aside on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

Decorating The Apple Tart

  • (optional) Make a simple syrup out of corn syrup and water by mixing them together and bringing them to a boil, then cool it down. Brush the glaze over the top of the tart for a little extra sweetness and shine. You can also melt some apricot preserves and use that to brush over the top.
  • Drizzle or pipe some caramel (store-bought or homemade) in a circle around the tart.
  • Add some chopped toasted almonds along the caramel design. 
  • Place a medium bowl that's slightly smaller than your tart on top so that everything but the top edge is covered. Sift some powdered sugar around the edge of the tart. Remove the bowl and you will be left with an even line of powdered sugar dusted along the edge of the tart. 
  • These apple tarts are best served immediately and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. They can be stored for up to a week in the fridge and are should be eaten within 1-2 days after being baked.

Video

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start
1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature or even a little warm (eggs, buttermilk, butter, etc). 
2. Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe. 
3. Practice Mise en Place (everything in it’s place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
4. Gala apples work best for an apple tart because they are on the sweeter side but are still firm enough to hold their shape while baking. You can use granny smith apples if you like a more acidic and tart flavor, or a combination of apples if you prefer. Pink lady, honey crisp, or golden delicious apples are also good options.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tart | Calories: 2537kcal | Carbohydrates: 276g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 147g | Saturated Fat: 70g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 594mg | Sodium: 1532mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 145g | Vitamin A: 3650IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 258mg | Iron: 11mg

September 1, 2022 Course Preview

Virgo Portrait Showpiece Tutorial

Skill level: Intermediate

Liz Marek creates a fantasy-inspired portrait of the Virgo sign. Learn how to sculpt and detail the Virgo's face using edible materials like modeling chocolate and fondant, without having to use a chocolate skull mold. Liz breaks down how to create the facial features (please note: you will need to pour isomalt eyes using a mold if you want the eyes to be edible) including the nose, cheeks, eye lids, ears and lips.

Liz showcases how to make edible flowers from wafer paper and how to arrange them into a beautiful flower laurel for the portrait.

There's a lot to cover in this tutorial, so let's get our tools together and let's get started!

1:30:34 Minutes of Instruction

What You Will Learn

  • How to create a fantasy-inspired portrait from edible materials, no skull molds required
  • Learn how to sculpt the facial features including the nose, cheeks, lips, and ears
  • How to create realistic hair
  • Learn how to create the edible flower arrangements and wooden bark
  • How to paint makeup onto the Virgo's face with petal dust

Cake sculpted to look like a portrait

Tutorial Chapters

  1. Building The Structure 0:15
  2. Adding Bulk To The Head 4:55
  3. Adding Bulk To The Chin 6:46
  4. Measuring The Face 8:05
  5. Sculpting The Eye Socket And Face 8:57
  6. Sculpting The Chin 12:00
  7. Adding The Eyes 12:41
  8. Sculpting The Mouth 15:05
  9. Sculpting The Nose And Detailing 20:25
  10. Defining The Jaw & Skull 27:47
  11. Adding & Shaping The Ears 31:49
  12. Building Up The Body & Neck 37:05
  13. Coloring & Rolling The Fondant 43:23
  14. Adding The Fondant 44:37
  15. Detailing The Fondant 45:21
  16. Covering The Neck In Fondant 53:15
  17. Adding The Tree Texture 54:45
  18. Detailing The Eyes And Face 59:48
  19. Contouring The Face 1:05:05
  20. Adding The Eyelashes And Details 1:07:09
  21. Adding The Hair 1:10:05
  22. Making The Leaves And Flowers 1:17:20
  23. Making The Flower Crown 1:22:19
  24. Adding The Flower Crown 1:28:10

Downloads

Materials List

Leaf Template

September 1, 2022 Paid Video

Virgo Portrait Showpiece

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August 24, 2022 Cupcakes

Moist And Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

This moist and fluffy vanilla cupcake recipe is everything you want a cupcake to be. Light and fluffy with lots of flavor in a little bite! The buttermilk adds a wonderful tang, and a little bit of oil makes these cupcakes very moist. I may have eaten a couple without any frosting! If you like my white velvet buttermilk cake or my vanilla cake, you will love these cupcakes!

I love these vanilla cupcakes because there are so many frosting options that go with this recipe. You can combine it with strawberry buttercream to make strawberry shortcake cupcakes. Or frost them with some yummy chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream. For lemon lovers, try filling your cupcakes with some lemon curd and topping them with fresh stabilized whipped cream. You can even add spices to the batter and make them into spice cake or add in sprinkles to make them funfetti cupcakes! This is seriously the best vanilla cupcake recipe.

 

Table of contents

  • Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients
  • Making Moist and Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes
    • Making Vanilla Cupcakes
    • Making Easy Buttercream
    • Storing Vanilla Cupcakes
  • Tips For Baking From Scratch
  • FAQ
  • Related Recipes

Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients

vanilla cupcake ingredients.Buttermilk is essential to this recipe because it adds flavor and moisture. Buttermilk is acidic and actually breaks down the gluten in the flour, making a more tender cupcake as well. If you have whole milk and white vinegar or lemons, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.

Oil is important for keeping the cupcakes moist, but too much oil in a recipe will cause the wrappers to peel away from the cupcake.

Cake flour is what makes these cupcakes extra soft and fluffy. This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, which coats the flour in a layer of butter and then whips in the air. Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, so it's important to use it to get the right texture. If you don't have cake flour, you can try using my cake flour substitute recipe, or try searching for "Shipton Mills soft cake and pastry flour."bite out of a vanilla cupcake

Making Moist and Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes

I recommend first making the vanilla cupcakes, and then making the frosting while the cupcakes are in the oven. They will need time to cool after baking, so don't pipe frosting onto a warm cupcake.

If you're making these for an event, it's best to frost and fill them on the same day that you're going to deliver and serve them.

Making Vanilla Cupcakes

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two cupcake pans (or a muffin pan will do) with paper liners. You can also bake one pan at a time if you only have one cupcake pan. This recipe will make about 24 cupcakes.cupcake pan with white cupcake liners.
  2. Combine the vanilla and buttermilk in a separate measuring cup and set it aside. Protip – Use clear vanilla extract for that “classic grocery store cake” flavor. Use good quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even a vanilla bean for true vanilla flavor. One vanilla bean = 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. hand adding vanilla to buttermilk in a measuring cup.
  3. Next, add the eggs and oil to a separate bowl then whisk and set them aside. hand adding eggs to oil in a measuring cup.
  4. Add the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can use a large bowl and an electric mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer, just mix for longer. Use these photos as a guide instead of mixing by time. adding flour to a stand mixer bowl.
  5. Then add the softened butter to the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles a sandy texture. Depending on how soft your butter is, this might take a minute or two. adding butter to the mixing bowl with the flour.
  6. Pour the milk mixture into your dry ingredients and increase the speed to medium (speed 4 on a KitchenAid, speed 2 on a Bosch). Mix for 1 ½ minutes to develop the fluffy structure of the cupcake. The batter will go from being yellow to a fluffy white.hand adding the buttermilk mixture to the mixing bowl.
  7. Slowly add your egg mixture in three parts and mix on low until it's fully combined. hand adding the egg and oil mixture to the mixing bowl.
  8. Fill your liners ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. I use my kitchen scale to measure out 1.5 ounces of batter per cupcake.a cupcake scoop pouring batter into a cupcake liner.
  9. Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden brown and the center of the cupcake springs back when you lightly touch it. I rotate my cupcakes halfway through baking for even browning. If you’re making mini cupcakes, bake for less time.finished baked vanilla cupcakes in the cupcake pan.
  10. Let your cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  11. Place your favorite frosting into a piping bag with a tip, I like a 1M or a 2F, and pipe a swirl on top. I love using my easy vanilla buttercream and topping them with a few sprinkles. Swiss meringue buttercream or strawberry buttercream would also be delicious.plate of finished vanilla cupcakes with pink sprinkles.

Making Easy Buttercream

  1. Place the pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Combine the ingredients on low and then whip them on high for 4-5 minutes (until shiny) to dissolve the powdered sugar.stand mixer bowl filled with meringew
  2. Now add in the salt and vanilla extract. If you want to add in any food coloring, now is the time.hand adding vanilla to powdered sugar mixture in a mixing bowl.
  3. Add in your softened butter piece-by-piece, then whip it on high. It will look curdled at first. This is definitely normal. It will also look pretty yellow, just keep whipping.adding butter to buttercream mixture
  4. After your buttercream looks like this, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.bowl of stand mixer with frosting inside
  5. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.hand pouring measuring cup of melted frosting into bowl of frosting
  6. Whip it on high for 8-10 minutes until the buttercream is white, light, and shiny. If it tastes like sweet ice cream, then it’s ready!hand holding whisk covered in frosting
  7. Finally, switch to a paddle attachment and mix the buttercream on low speed for up to 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream ultra smooth and remove any air bubbles. This step is optional, but if you want really creamy frosting, you don’t want to skip this final step.close up of mixed buttercream
  8. For extra white buttercream, add a drop of purple food coloring. The purple counteracts the yellow in the butter, toning the buttercream to make it white.side by side spoons with buttercreams to show the pure white vs regular.

Storing Vanilla Cupcakes

These cupcakes are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, and can sometimes dry out in the fridge. If you're using a buttercream that is shelf stable, store them in an airtight container on the shelf for up to 2 days.

Baked cupcakes without frosting can be frozen in ziplock bags for up to 6 months.

If you're using a fruit filling or frosting that isn't shelf stable, it's best to refrigerate them after about 4 hours. I love filling these cupcakes with fresh homemade raspberry filling.

finished raspberry filling in a mason jar.

Tips For Baking From Scratch

*This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click on them I might get a few pennies.

I suggest purchasing a kitchen scale if you don't already have one to make the best scratch recipes. One cup of flour can vary from scoop to scoop depending on how packed the flour is and the humidity in your area. Too little or too much flour can ruin your recipe, so all of my cake recipes (except doctored box mixes) use a scale.

Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place) which means you measure everything before you start mixing so you don't accidentally forget something or add any ingredients out of order. I use a set of medium and small pyrex glass bowls I got from goodwill for this and it makes things SO much easier.

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature or even a tiny bit on the warm side. I warm my milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. The butter should be soft enough to live an indent in it when you press it but firm enough that it’s still holding its shape. Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to warm them up. 

FAQ

Why are my cupcakes flat?

You might be baking at too low of a temperature. Baking at 350ºF makes the cupcake nice and fluffy and set’s the dome. Baking at too low of a temperature will make your cupcakes flat. Not sure what your oven temperature is? You can get an oven thermometer to calibrate the temperature of your oven. 

How do you make a fluffy vanilla cupcake recipe? 

The secret to fluffy cupcakes is enough baking powder to really get that high rise and higher oven temperature to create a lot of lift and to set the dome of the cupcake. Too much liquid in your cupcakes or over-filling your liners can cause them to collapse. 

Why do my cupcake liners pull away after baking? I

It could be that your recipe has too much liquid, oil, or that your liners are not grease-proof. Your liners can also pull away if you are storing your cupcakes in a closed container and the moisture causes them to pull away. 

Can you add flavor to this vanilla cupcake recipe?

You can easily change the flavor of these cupcakes from vanilla to lemon or spice by replacing the extract and adding in things like spices or zest. You can also add up to ¼ cup of any dry ingredient like sprinkles, crushed Oreos, or fruit without changing the recipe. 

Why are my cupcakes sticky?

If you cover your cupcakes with plastic wrap or put them in a container before they are completely cooled, condensation will collect on top of the cupcake and make it soggy.

Why do my cupcakes shrink?

Cupcakes can shrink from over-mixing your batter, over-baking, or too much fat/liquid in the recipe

Can you freeze cupcakes?

Cupcakes can be frozen in ziplock bags for up to 6 months. 

What can I use instead of buttermilk?

Sour cream or milk mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar make great buttermilk substitutes. Be sure to check out my buttermilk blog post for more substitutes.

Related Recipes

Chocolate Cupcakes

Easy Buttercream Frosting

Strawberry Buttercream

Lemon Curd

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Recipe

Print Recipe
4.90 from 336 votes

Moist and Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

These amazing vanilla cupcakes get their flavor and velvety texture from the buttermilk. A soft and fluffy cupcake that is great for birthday parties, weddings, or any special occasion. This recipe makes about 24 classic vanilla cupcakes with my favorite easy vanilla buttercream.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Calories: 209kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • Paddle Attachment
  • Whisk Attachment

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

  • 10 ounces cake flour
  • 9 ounces granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 4 ounces vegetable oil
  • 5 ounces buttermilk room temperature or slightly warm
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Easy Buttercream Frosting Recipe

  • 6 ounces pasteurized egg whites
  • 24 ounces powdered sugar
  • 24 ounces unsalted butter softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tiny drop purple food coloring optional for whiter frosting
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making Vanilla Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two cupcake pans (or a muffin pan will do) with paper liners. You can also bake one pan at a time if you only have one cupcake pan. This recipe will make about 24 cupcakes.
  • Combine the vanilla and buttermilk in a separate measuring cup and set it aside. 
  • Next, add the eggs and oil to a separate bowl then whisk and set them aside. 
  • Add the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can use a large bowl and an electric mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer, just mix for longer. Use these photos as a guide instead of mixing by time. 
  • Then add the softened butter to the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles a sandy texture. Depending on how soft your butter is, this might take a minute or two. 
  • Pour the milk mixture into your dry ingredients and increase the speed to medium (speed 4 on a KitchenAid, speed 2 on a Bosch). Mix for 1 ½ minutes to develop the fluffy structure of the cupcake. The batter will go from being yellow to a fluffy white.
  • Slowly add your egg mixture in three parts and mix on low until it's fully combined.
  • Fill your liners ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. I use my kitchen scale to measure out 1.5 ounces of batter per cupcake.
  • Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden brown and the center of the cupcake springs back when you lightly touch it. I rotate my cupcakes halfway through baking for even browning. If you’re making mini cupcakes, bake for less time.
  • Let your cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.