This baking adventure started like all the other ones.  I woke up one morning and decided I really had to have strawberry cupcakes, so I went to the store, bought all the ingredients, waited four days until I had almost finished all the fresh strawberries, and then decided it was the absolute perfect time to bake the cupcakes that required a whole package of fresh strawberries.  Thank God I always keep a package of frozen strawberries in the freezer to eat with my ice cream have as a healthy snack.

The cupcakes themselves came out spongy and moist with a slight crispy crust around the edges that rocked.  The frosting took me about an hour or so to complete, which was an unpleasant surprise, but it is probably the lightest frosting I have ever had.  It is not overwhelmingly sweet and kind of tastes like you are eating a cloud.  Everybody loved them.  Some people even sent me angry text messages about how their diets were doing so well until I brought these into their lives.  Apparently these are a gateway drug for other sweets.  Who knew.

 

This recipe was a success, A+.  Nothing was burned down.  No one is throwing up violently.  Nothing but smiles to see here.  Warning:  You can't eat just one.  Enjoy.

Oh and if you discover that you didn't actually buy any cupcake liners once you have already mixed all the ingredients, you can just cut out little 5X5 in. pieces of parchment paper to use as cupcake liners instead.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Meringue Buttercream

Yield: About 38 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Bake Time: 25 to 30 minutes

 

Strawberry Cupcake Ingredients

2¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup cake flour**

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2¼ cups granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 egg white

1 cup milk

2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries

Strawberry Meringue Buttercream Ingredients

1½ cups fresh strawberries (about 8 ounces), chopped

4 egg whites

1¼ cups granulated sugar

1½ cups unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature

Directions for the strawberry cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Mix the dry ingredients: flours, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3.  With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and egg white, on at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until well combined. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the chopped strawberries by hand.

4. Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. 

5.  Bake until golden and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. 

6.  Transfer to pans to wire racks to cool for 15 minutes; turn out the cupcakes onto the rack and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers before frosting.

Directions for the strawberry meringue buttercream

1.  Puree the strawberries in a food process or blender; set aside.

2. Combine the egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a standing electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar has dissolved.  The mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips.

3. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, mix until stiff peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy, glossy, white, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all the butter has been added, scrap down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and switch to the paddle attachment; continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. 

5.  Add the strawberry puree and beat until combined. Stir the frosting with a rubber spatula until the frosting is smooth. 

6.  Keep the buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

**Cake flour substitute:  Use regular flour + 1 tbspn of cornstarch.


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