Princess Syieda: Summer Strawberry Cupcakes

These were Fabulous! The icing was light and just the right amount of sweetness. I did add about 1/4 cup puree fresh strawberries to the icing. I have never had a cupcake that called for vanilla pudding mix and I will never make another cupcake without it! Light, moist and fluffy; my picky family devoured them.

loved these. it's so hard to find recipes that are truly from scratch. I didn't add the pudding mix but otherwise followed the recipe & loved the delicate strawberry flavor. Only alteration i made was to put some chopped strawberries in the frosting for some color and added fruit. They were a big hit.

Summer Strawberry Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the Strawberry Cupcakes:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (be sure NOT to pack your flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus one large egg yolk, at room temperature
1/4 cup boiling hot water (should be very hot, and poured into measuring cup right after boiled)
3/4 cup fresh strawberries, diced into 1/4" pieces

For the Fresh Strawberry Frosting:

1 cup fresh strawberries (frozen will also work; do not thaw first), roughly chopped
1 and 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY soft
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (more if needed), sifted
1 tablespoon heavy cream (more if needed)
12 small fresh strawberries, for decorating (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Strawberry Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 12-mold cupcake tin with paper liners and lightly spray the liners with non-stick spray, set aside. In a large bowl combine 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a small bowl combine the milk and sour cream, mix well to combine and set aside. In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; about 4 minutes (don't skimp on time here!). Beat in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add in flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with sour cream/milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in the hot water, beating just until combined; set aside.
Place diced strawberries and remaining flour in a small bowl; toss well to coat, being sure each piece is completely covered in flour. Fold strawberries and any remaining flour into batter, stirring just until combined.
Fill the prepared cupcake tins 3/4 of the way full. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. In the meantime, make your frosting.

For the Fresh Strawberry Frosting:

Combine the strawberries and lemon juice in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, stir the mixture occasionally, breaking up the berries with a wooden spoon, until the strawberries have become soft enough to mash effortlessly. It will look like thick strawberry jam. Once the mixture can coat a spoon (you should have about 1/4 cup of strawberry puree) remove from heat. Allow mixture to cool completely before using. <<< That part is SUPER important!

When ready to make buttercream:

Place the softened butter in a large bowl or in the body of a stand mixer. With a handheld mixer, or with the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, beat butter on medium-speed (scraping down the sides as needed) until completely smooth; about 2 minutes. Add in 3 tablespoons of the strawberry puree and beat until completely combined; about 1 minute (don't worry if the mixture looks weird at this point). Add in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed. Once all of the sugar has been added, add in the cream and salt, then beat on high-speed for a full 2 minutes - this thickens up the frosting and makes it nice and fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired and top with a fresh strawberry, if using.

Read more >>> Summer Strawberry Cupcakes @ bakerbynature.com