Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper baking cups in muffin tin (recipe makes 18).

For the cupcakes:
Mix together the cake mix, water, oil, sour cream, scraped seeds from the vanilla bean, and egg whites. Beat well until smooth and creamy. Fill each baking cup 2/3 full.

Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven when slightly golden and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Set aside to cool. After 5 minutes remove cupcakes from pan to a baking rack to cool completely.

For the Filling:
While cupcakes are baking slice the strawberries and sprinkle them with the sugar. Allow the berries to sit and macerate until they give up some juice. Then remove 1/3 cup of juices from the strawberries into a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the juice. Set the gelatin and strawberry juice aside for about 5 minutes allowing the gelatin to bloom. Place the bowl with the gelatin in a small pan of simmering water (make sure the water is at a level where it won’t get into the bowl of gelatin) and stir until the gelatin melts and the mixture is smooth, then immediately remove the gelatin from the heat.

Meanwhile, puree the berries then mix them with the gelatin mixture. (I left the berries a little chunky). Set aside the gelatin and berry mixture to allow it to cool and thicken a bit.

In a medium sized mixing bowl beat the whipping cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold the berry mixture into the whipped cream and then refrigerate until firm, about one hour.

For the Frosting:
In a small saucepan combine the milk and flour. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the mixture becomes a thick paste. Remove the paste to a small bowl and refrigerate until very cold.

Once the mixture is well chilled beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. You want all the sugar to be dissolved. Test for any graininess, if you feel sugar granules keep beating. Once the butter and sugar are creamed add the flour paste mixture one heaping tablespoon at a time beating well after each addition. When all of the flour has been added and combined, add vanilla and incorporate well. Set frosting aside. Do not refrigerate.

To assemble:
Using a sharp paring knife remove a fairly large cone shaped piece of cake from the top of each cupcake. Gently turn each cone piece onto its side and slice off most of the cake leaving a small lid of cake that you will use to cover the filling.

Fill the cupcakes with a heaping teaspoon of the strawberry mousse and top each cupcake with the pared piece of cake top.

Frost the cupcakes as desired. I like to pipe on the frosting as it goes faster. I used a #20 plain round tip.