Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

Love fresh strawberries? These cupcakes were made for you! Fresh strawberries are in both the cupcakes and the frosting.

Ingredients:

1 quart of fresh strawberries

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of strawberry extract

1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup of sugar

1 egg, room temperature, I used extra large

2 egg whites, room temperature

3 – 4 drops of red food coloring, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If you are going to garnish your cupcakes with strawberries, set aside 8. I cut my berries in half to garnish the tops. Place strawberries in a food processor or blender and purée them. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, extracts and 3/4 of your strawberry purée. (Save the remaining for the frosting.)

In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Add sugar slowly and beat until light and well combined. Add egg and egg whites until combined.

Slowly add half of the flour mixture, scrap down the sides. Add milk mixture and mix until combined. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until combined, scraping down the sides. Add red food coloring at this time. I added 4 drops to make the cupcakes a pretty pink. Fill each cupcake liner to 2/3 full. This recipe makes 13-15 cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes or until done. Cool completely before frosting.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:

1 1/2 sticks of softened butter

2/3 cup shortening (Crisco)

Pinch of salt

Strawberry purée, leftovers from the cupcakes

1 teaspoon strawberry extract

2 – 4 drops of red food coloring, optional

3 1/2 cups – 4 cups powdered sugar

Strawberry halves for garnish

Cream together butter and shortening. Add salt, strawberry purée, strawberry extract and red food coloring. Blend well. Add powdered sugar and mix to desired piping consistency. Pipe on cupcakes and garnish with a strawberry half if desired.