(credit: Kevin VanDeraa)

Cupcake Ingredients
5 oz All purpose flour
¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda
¾ Teaspoon baking powder
¾ Teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
6 1/4 oz sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup dragon fruit pulp, mashed
½ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl combine the flour baking soda, baking powder and salt, whisk together to incorporate, set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine egg, vegetable oil, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract, whisk together to combine. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients, stirring to fully incorporate. Next fold in the dragon fruit and then add the buttermilk. Gently fold to fully incorporate, do not over mix.

Prepare cupcake pan by spraying with non-stick coating and using cupcake liners. Scoop batter into cupcake pan and place in oven, bake approximately 20 min or until the cupcake springs back when lightly touched with finger and has a light golden brown color.

Whipped Mascarpone Frosting Ingredients
4 oz Mascarpone Cheese
8 oz Heavy Cream
1 Vanilla bean, scraped
2 Tablespoons sugar

In a large mixing bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer, put mascarpone, heavy cream, the scraped seeds of the vanilla bean (discard the pod) whip until light and fluffy.

Filling Ingredients
6 strawberries, topped and diced
½ dragon fruit, diced into tiny cubes
1 tablespoon sugar

Combine strawberries and dragon fruit, and toss with sugar.

Garnish
12 Strawberries halves, cut top to bottom, greens on

Assembly
Core the cupcakes and fill with the prepared filling, using a round tip frost the cupcakes with a swirl, top with one half strawberry

Yield: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy