Strawberry Cupcakes

I have been inspired by strawberry season and my local strawberry festival and so in its honor,  I have decided to make some strawberry cupcakes. Please notice my pretty cupcake liners and holders! I’ve been dying to make some cupcakes so I can use them.

Strawberries always signal summer to me. They remind me of sitting under the warm sun on a hot day cooling off with some fresh strawberries. Unfortunately, right now cool fresh strawberries give me goose bumps.  For some reason, the warm weather has decided to abandon Florida and its place give us close to freezing temperatures.  I know all you northerners will roll your eyes and say you would be in a bikini rolling on the beach right now if you had our weather but trust me it really is cold! I have friends from Canada visiting next week who think they are going to be going to the beach everyday and return home with a tan….I’m scared to call to tell them they should be packing more sweaters and socks and less bikinis and shorts.  Anyways, I digress…back to strawberries and cupcakes.

The cupcakes itself are phenomenal; not too sweet or heavy.  They are the perfect cupcake base. I will say the baking time was a little off; mine needed about 35 minutes instead of the recommended 20-25 minutes, so I would encourage you watch the temperture and maybe leave them in a little longer than the book states. I adjusted the temp in my recipe below.

The buttercream, unfortunately, is a different story. I had tons of problems with it, and so it is with great hesitation that I give the recipe.  I really really really had to adjust this recipe to make it work (texture and taste wise) and because of that I would not recommend this recipe. However, I know of others who have had luck with it so I will give the recipe and leave it up to you to decide.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour (not self rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large whole eggs, plus 1 egg white
1 cup milk
2 cups finely chopped strawberries, plus more for garnish
Strawberry Meringue Buttercream

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Sift flours, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, including egg white, one at a time.

4. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture while alternating with the milk. Fold in strawberries.

5. Divide batter between the cups. Bake for about 30 -35 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Strawberry Meringue Buttercream
from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

1 cups fresh strawberries (6 ounces), rinsed, hulled, and coarsely chopped
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cups butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature

1. Puree strawberries in a food processor.

2. Combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a electric mixer. Set over simmering water and mix until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warn to the touch.

3. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and start whisking on low and gradually increase speed to medium-high. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool-about 15 minutes.

4. With the mixture on low speed, add butter one tablespoon at a time.

5. Switch to the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until all air bubbles are gone-about 2 minutes.

6. Add strawberries and beat until combined.

7. Pipe on cooled cupcakes or refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to a month.