Strawberry Upside-Down Cakes

INGREDIENTS

adapted from Organic and Chic

makes 24 mini cakes

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

• 1 ¾ cups raw sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 T vanilla extract

• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

• 2 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

• 1 1/2 t baking powder

• 1/2 t salt

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 2 cups strawberries, sliced vertically

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350.

• Grease cupcake tins.

• Sprinkle a teaspoon of brown sugar into the bottom of each cup, then arrange 4-5 strawberry slices on top. Reserve extra berries and sugar.

• In a large bowl, cream butter and raw sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. In another, whisk together milk and both vanillas.

• Alternate adding flour and milk mixtures to the large bowl, starting and ending with the flour. Make sure everything is well combined, but don’t overmix.

• Divide batter equally between cupcake wells. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center is clean.

• Cool for 5-10 minutes, then invert onto a cookie sheet. Carefully replace any strawberries that didn’t stick to the cakes.

• While cakes are baking, cook the reserved berries and brown sugar over medium-low heat, until thick and jam-like.

• Cut the rounded tops off the cakes so each cake can sit flat. Add a spoonful of the cooked berries to the top of each cake and serve.