Fall treats #11: Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

these are actually my favorite cupcakes in the whole world.

i might have scarfed down 6 cookies and cream cupcakes, and licked the frosting off all of the spice cupcakes, 

but these strawberry cupcakes are fresh and sweet, and the frosting absolutely melts in your mouth.

the cake itself is dense and thick, and strawberries practically explode when you take a bite.

yep i just said that. and i mean it.

these. are. awesome.

they are also supposed to be the copycat Sprinkle's strawberry cupcakes.

does it get any better than that?

Strawberry Cupcakes

adapted from Martha Stewart

For the Cupcakes:

1/3 cup pureed strawberries (blend about 2/3 c. strawberries in a blender to get 1/3 cup puree)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 milk, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg, room temperature

2 egg whites, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. 

In a small bowl, combine strawberry puree, milk, and vanilla.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy.

Reduce speed to medium and add egg and egg whites, scraping down the sides as necessary.

With mixer on low, add half the flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Add the strawberry/milk mixture and combine. Add rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Divide batter into the muffin cups, filling the cups 2/3 full. 

Bake 22-25 minutes, rotating pans half way through. Once they are baked, transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.

For the frosting:

3 tablespoons pureed strawberries (blend 1/3 cup fresh strawberries in a blender)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, firm and slightly cold

pinch of salt

3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter and salt until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioner's sugar. Beat until combined. add vanilla and pureed strawberries, and mix until just blended. Frost onto cooled cupcakes.