Gluten Free Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Happy Independence Day America!  I try not to say Happy 4th of July.  Sure, it *is* the fourth of July and all, but I think it takes away from the meaning of this holiday.  Not that I don’t love beer and barbecues, but we should all remember why this holiday exists in the first place.  Today we commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.  Therefore, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.  How to best celebrate this great event?

With cupcakes of course.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

(printable recipe PDF)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice flour (white or half white and half brown)
• ½ cup potato starch flour
• ¼ cup tapioca flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• ¾ tsp xanthan gum
• 6 tbspns cream cheese (softened)
• 14. oz strawberries (pureed)
• ½ cup butter (softened)
• 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
• 4 egg whites

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl combine rice flour, potato starch flour, tapioca flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum.
2. Add strawberry puree, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla.  Beat for 30 seconds.
3. Add egg whites.  Beat on high for 2 minutes.
4. Bake at 350 for20-25 minutes. (Ovens vary – cupcakes are done when you can poke it with your finger and have it bounce back)

Frosting:

• 1 lb cream cheese
• 2 sticks butter
• tsp. vanilla
• 4 cups confectioners sugar

1. Beat until smooth

This make A LOT of frosting.  You may be able to get away with cutting the recipe in half.  I just store the extra in the fridge.

Strawberries:

The berries are simply dipped in melted white chocolate than in colored sanding sugar or sugar crystals.