Tasty Tuesday – Strawberry Cupcakes w/ Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

 

So last week was Cupcake Week… but let’s be honest, I’m in a cupcake phase right now so you’ll probably be seeing more of them.

I already have 2 more on my “to-bake” list this week. If you’re getting tired of them yet, please don’t tell me. Just ooh and ahh at the cupcake prettiness and wait me out. I’m sure I’ll be ob-sessed with cookies or bar cookies or scones or something else soon. That seems to be the way I live.

But as for now, cupcakes are still the name of the game. I figured I needed to do some fruit cupcakes for the summer. Strawberry seemed like a logical first choice.

I have been expanding my produce intake recently and summer fruit is refreshing and oh-so delectable.

These cupcakes are light and remind me of strawberry shortcake. YUM!

Please note this recipe does require cake flour.  If you don’t have cake flour just make these strawberry cupcakes instead! I made them last year and both recipes are yummy. You can just never have too many good cupcake recipes in your back pocket right?

Right?

Strawberry Cupcakes

As seen on Annie’s Eats; adapted from Good Things Catered

Makes about 18 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 c. finely chopped strawberries
• 2 ½ c. cake flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• ¼ t. salt
• 1 stick (1/2 c.) unsalted butter
• 1 ½ c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 c. buttermilk (or 1/3 c. milk plus 1 t. vinegar)
• ¼ c. canola oil
• 1 t. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with 18 paper liners.
2. Chop strawberries and set aside.
3. Sift cake flour, salt and baking soda into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat butter. Add in sugar and mix on medium high until light and fluffy.
5. Mix in eggs one at a time.
6. Pour in buttermilk, oil and vanilla and beat until combined.
7. Add in flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in chopped strawberries with a spatula.
8. Use 1/4 c. scoop to add batter into cupcake pans. Bake for about 18-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• ½ c. strawberries
• 8 oz. cream cheese, (1 block) at room temperature
• 1 ½ sticks (3/4 c.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 ¾ – 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ t. lemon juice (optional – I omitted)
• 1 T. vanilla

Directions:

1. Puree strawberries in food processor or mixer. Push through a metal mesh sieve or strainer to remove seeds. You will get a strawberry liquid. Set aside.
2. Beat cream cheese and butter. It is imperative the cream cheese is room temperature and you beat it well or else it can make chunky gross looking frosting. Not good. Beat well until smooth and fluffy- about 5 minutes or so.
3. Sift in 1 3/4 c. powdered sugar (or just pour in already sifted powdered sugar) and mix until smooth.
4. Add lemon juice (if using), vanilla and strawberry puree and beat. If you want a stiffer texture add in additional powdered sugar 1/4 c. at a time. Make sure to taste along the way so you don’t make your frosting too sweet. If you find your frosting is getting too warm in the summer, pop it in the fridge for an hour or so.