• Turn the oven on to 350° F

The Cake

• Place the softened Butter and Sugar in a mixer and whip on medium for 3 - 4 minutes, or until they appear fluffy.
• Add in one Egg at a time mixing on low speed, add the Vanilla Extract and mix thoroughly.
• In a separate bowl mix together the Flour, Ground Almond, Baking Powder and Salt.
• Measure the Milk into a pourable container.
• On low speed starting with the flour take turns add Flour then Milk to the mixer. Pause the mixer if the sides need to be wiped down and continue mixing until the batter is fully mixed.
• Line a 12 muffin pan with baking cups. Using a ¼ cup Ice cream scoop or measuring cup fill each area of the muffin tin ¾ full of batter.
• Place in the middle of the oven at 350° F for 20 -25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer poked into the middle of a Cupcake comes out clean.
• remove them to a wire rack to cool.

Strawberries

• Pull out the small, good looking Strawberries for garnishing later. Using the very ripe Strawberries, cut them into small pieces.
• In a mixing bowl combine the Strawberries, Icing Sugar and Port Wine. Set aside as you make the Mascarpone Whip Topping.

Mascarpone Whip Topping

• In a clean bowl, whip the cream until it reaches the soft peak stage. That's when it becomes stiffer but doesn't look hard yet.
• Add in the ¼ cup of the Icing Sugar and Vanilla Extract and whip a little more. After a very short time it should thicken up substantially, Make sure not to over whip and make Butter.
• In a separate bowl place the Mascarpone Cheese, with a whisk beat the Cheese until it softens up, about a minute.
• Add one third of the Whip Cream to the Mascarpone and gently Whisk to Blend, this will lighten the Mascarpone and make it easier to incorporate the rest of the Whip Cream.
• A third at a time add the Cream and fold into the Mascarpone using a rolling motion with the whisk. Continue until all the Cream is mixed in and incorporated.

Finishing & Decorating

• Using a 1 tablespoon Melon baller scoop out the middle of the Cupcake, go deep but just make sure to leave good volume at the bottom so nothing falls out. Unfortunately the only thing I could think of do to with the cake I scooped out was... eat it :).
• Next, fill the hole you just made with the macerated Strawberries, make sure to divide evenly and make more if you are short.
• There might be some liquid left at the bottom of the bowl too, these cupcakes are heavier and can handle a little extra liquid so don't be afraid to drizzle a little in with the Strawberries.
• Next is the Whip, Use a piping bag fitted with a very large rosette tip and load the Whip Cream into the bag.
• A couple hints for using a piping bag... first is don't worry about having a piping bag, I use a large ziplock bag most of the time.

  Second is loading the bag, place the bag rosette tip down in a deep cup, fold over the top edge of the bag to make it stiffer. Now you have two hands free to load the Whip into the bag. See notes for how to pipe using a piping bag.
• Starting on the outside edge of the Cupcake and working your way into the middle, start piping in a circular motion. Work your way into the middle and up, when you are done lift up quickly to create a little Whip Cream tip
• Lastly garnish, I showed you three different ways I cut Strawberries to garnish my Cupcakes but as long as you have fun doing it... experiment you will find the Strawberry artist in you.
• Sprinkle with some crushed toasted Almond, serve and... Enjoy!