Strawberry & polenta cupcakes

Strawberry & polenta cupcakes

These cupcakes are little portions of perfection and are perfect to share with friends

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Makes 12 cakes

Preperation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 20 mins

Freezable

un-iced

Method

  1. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases and heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Add the polenta and continue to whisk until combined. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time.
  2. Sift in flour and baking powder, then fold in quickly with a large spoon or spatula until you have a thick batter (the mixture may look lumpy because of the polenta). Stir in the milk to loosen, then gently fold in the chopped strawberries. Divide the mixture between the paper cases, then bake for 20 mins or until golden, risen and springy to touch. Cool for a few mins, then place the cakes on a wire rack to cool completely. The cakes can now be stored in an airtight container for up to two days.
  3. Carefully peel the cases off the cakes. Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl. Place the chopped strawberries in a bowl with 1 tsp lemon juice and mash with a fork until pulpy. Push through a sieve over the icing sugar (you only need a few drops of juice to colour the icing a rosy pink). Stir in more lemon juice, a dribble at a time, until you have a thick yet fluid paste. Dip the top of each cake into the icing, then top immediately with a strawberry half. Leave to set, then serve.

Per cake

271 kcalories, protein 4g, carbohydrate 40g, fat 12 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 1g, salt 0.19 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, August 2008.

Latest comments and suggestions

  • 01 August 2008

    Julie commented on this recipe

    This recipe is lovely, I urge everyone to try it, so simple but really, really delicious, I made two batches in one morning, and they were all eaten in the same day ...... they look lovely as well. I have since substituted the strawberries for rasberries, and an other batch with cherries.... just as delicious, the polenta gives as coconut texture...... as I say, really nice.

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  • 06 August 2008

    Sharon rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Fabulous as a cake, I doubled the recipe and made 2x7" cakes.

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  • 11 August 2008

    sandie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    made these cakes at the weekend could not get polenta so I used coconut. They were really nice would make then again.

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  • 20 August 2008

    Mrsnoonoo rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Really nice, Will be making again.

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  • 25 August 2008

    Beth rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • 01 September 2008

    Bowerbird rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    These cakes are a visual delight, they're a little grainy in texture and not too sweet, and very filling, they went down well. Don't leave the strawberries on the top for too long, after a day it had virtually soaked up the icing sugar, still tasty though. <a href="http://bowerbird-illustration.blogspot.com/2008/08/birthday-boy.html">Take a look.</a>

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  • 01 September 2008

    Bowerbird commented on this recipe

    These cakes are a visual delight, they're a little grainy in texture and not too sweet, and very filling, they went down well. Don't leave the strawberries on the top for too long, after a day it had virtually soaked up the icing sugar, still tasty though. Take a look. http://bowerbird-illustration.blogspot.com/2008/08/birthday-boy.html

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  • 22 September 2008

    amandamagpie commented on this recipe

    Made these at the weekend and my whole family loved them. Very easy recipe and lovely texture. I agree about not leaving the strawberries on top too long because they made the icing go a bit strange. Will definitely make them again and will try other soft fruit.

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  • 05 November 2008

    bethany commented on this recipe

    i really want to make these cakes but have no idea where to get polenta. Will cornflower do?

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Makes 12 cakes

Preperation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 20 mins

Freezable

un-iced

Ingredients

TO DECORATE

  • 140g icing sugar
  • 3 strawberries , hulled and roughly chopped, plus 6 halved, for decoration
  • lemon juice
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Per cake

271 kcalories, protein 4g, carbohydrate 40g, fat 12 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 1g, salt 0.19 g

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