Gorgonzola, Strawberry & Balsamic Cupcakes
I'm always surfing the web looking for new ideas or sparks of inspiration. While on one of my favorite blogs, The Pioneer Woman, I stumbled upon what looks like an amazing and refreshing summertime salad. Grilled Romaine? What?
However sadly our BBQ died at the end of last summer, and we haven't quite gotten off our asses to buy a new one, so I decided to take the essence of this salad and turn it into a cupcake. Strawberries, check. Balsamic, check. Gorgonzola? Sure, why not? I mean the creamy blue worked well with the fig in my burgercake creation. Now, I realize that my taste buds veer a little on the strange end of the pool, but my trusted crop of taste testers gave this one a giant gold star!
Gorgonzola, Strawberry & Balsamic Cupcakes
yield 2 dozen mini cupcakes || 10 minutes prep; 20 minutes cook
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup diced strawberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 box of powdered sugar
- 1 stick of butter softened
While you're cupcakes are baking, heat up a small sauce pan and pour in your balsamic. Once your balsamic is boiling, add in a 1/4 cup of the diced strawberries, 1 tbsp of sugar and turn down the heat to a simmer. Continue cooking for a few minutes until the sugar is melted and the balsamic has reduced slightly to a syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a bowl whip the remaining stick of butter until it is nice and fluffy. Slowly pour in a tablespoon of your reduced strawberry balsamic sauce, until your frosting develops a nice brown color and a softer texture.
With each cupcake, cut a hole in the middle out. Stuff in a piece of strawberry, a few crumbles of Gorgonzola and top with your balsamic buttercream frosting. To garnish, sprinkle on a few more crumbles of cheese and a drizzle of the remaining balsamic sauce!
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