Description
Kiwi Cupcakes are a delightful vanilla cupcake made moist with sour cream and topped with a fresh kiwi-infused buttercream frosting. These cupcakes combine classic flavors with the bright, tart taste of kiwi, perfect for parties and special occasions. The recipe includes a foolproof vanilla batter and a creamy kiwi buttercream that’s piped onto each cupcake with decorative swirls, finished with a fresh slice of kiwi for a beautiful presentation.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 stick butter, melted (½ cup)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
Buttercream
- 1 stick butter, room temperature (½ cup)
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 pureed kiwis (peeled and pureed, with the white center removed or pureed thoroughly to avoid chunks)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F to prepare for baking the cupcakes.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Whisk the mixture well and set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, combine the eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and sour cream until fully blended.
- Combine Ingredients: Slowly add half of the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients, mixing gently to avoid overmixing.
- Fill Muffin Pan: Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and divide the batter evenly, filling each liner a little more than half full.
- Bake Cupcakes: Bake for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Prepare Buttercream: In a mixing bowl, combine the room temperature butter and vegetable shortening. Beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Add Kiwi Puree: Mix in the pureed kiwi thoroughly, removing any chunks to avoid clogging the piping bag.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add powdered sugar about one cup at a time, beating slowly until incorporated. Continue adding enough powdered sugar to achieve a frosting consistency that is not too wet.
- Prepare Piping Bag: Transfer some frosting into a piping bag or a large ziplock bag. Eliminate air pockets by pushing the frosting down. If using a ziplock bag, cut a small hole in one corner approximately the size of a dime to a penny.
- Pipe Frosting: Starting from the outside edge of the cupcake, pipe the frosting in concentric circles moving toward the center, stacking the frosting to create a swirl effect.
- Garnish: Finish each cupcake by garnishing with a fresh slice of kiwi on top of the piped frosting.
Notes
- Ensure kiwis are peeled and white centers removed or finely pureed to prevent clogging the piping bag.
- Use large piping tips such as Wilton star tip #1M or flower tip #2D for best frosting results.
- If you don’t have vegetable shortening, you can substitute with extra butter, but note texture may vary.
- Do not overmix the cupcake batter to keep cupcakes tender and moist.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the buttercream.
- Fresh kiwi slices make a beautiful, natural garnish, but you can also add green sprinkles for extra decoration.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- To puree kiwis, use a blender or food processor for a smooth texture.
