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Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Cindy Gibbs
  • Prep Time: 30 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 12 Cupcakes 1x
  • Category: Cupcakes
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Fresh and freeze-dried strawberries give these cupcakes and their strawberry buttercream frosting a double punch of strawberry flavor.


Ingredients

Units Scale

FOR THE STRAWBERRY PUREE

  • 16 ounces fresh strawberries, rinsed, stems removed and sliced in half
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

FOR THE STRAWBERRY GOLD

  • 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries

FOR THE CUPCAKES

  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted or aerated with a fork
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup strawberry puree, divided
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon strawberry gold, (powdered freeze-dried strawberries)
  • 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature

FOR THE STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons reserved strawberry puree
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry gold, (powdered freeze-dried strawberries)
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon half & half


Instructions

FOR THE STRAWBERRY PUREE

  1. Add 1/2 of the strawberries at a time to a blender and blend until pureed.
  2. Reduce the strawberry puree:  Transfer the strawberries to a medium saucepan.  Add the sugar and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup.  The mixture should be nice and thick.  This takes about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

FOR THE STRAWBERRY GOLD

  1. Place 1/2 cup of freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor or in a good blender, such as Ninja.  Pulse until the strawberries are a fine powder.  If you’re using a blender, you might have to do this 3 to 4 times.  The powder will blow up and form on the sides of the blender.  Stop and scrape the powder off the sides of the blender and into a measuring cup.  Pulse and repeat again.  Do not use the remaining hard granules that remain at the bottom of the blender.  You should end up with about 1/4 cup of strawberry gold.

FOR THE CUPCAKES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together 1/3 cup of the strawberry puree, milk, and vanilla and set aside.
  3. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, (or use a hand mixer).  Beat the butter on high speed until it is light and fluffy.  Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until the sugar is well incorporated and the mixture becomes fluffy again.  Reduce the mixer to medium and add the strawberry gold, vegetable oil, egg, and egg whites and mix on medium just until all ingredients are incorporated.
  4. Reduce the mixer to low speed, and slowly add 1/2 of the flour mixture.  Mix just until the flour is almost incorporated.  Add the strawberry puree/milk mixture and mix just long enough to incorporate.  Slowly add the remaining flour on low speed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Mix just long enough to incorporate the flour.  Do not over mix.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the baking cups.  This recipe makes 12 medium cupcakes.  If you want larger cupcakes, divide the batter between 11 baking cups.
  6. Bake the cupcakes until tops are dry and spring back if touched, about 25 minutes, depending on your oven.
  7. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

FOR THE STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

  1. Add the butter to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, (or use a hand mixer).  Whisk on high speed until the butter is light and creamy.  Add the vanilla, salt, strawberry puree, strawberry gold, and vanilla.  Whisk on medium speed until all ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is light and creamy.
  2. With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated.  Add the half & half and mix until smooth.  Add a little more half & half as needed to get the perfect consistency for piping.  The buttercream frosting should be thick and able to stand on its own when piped onto a cupcake.
  3. Transfer the buttercream to a large piping bag, fitted with your desired piping tip.  I used a Wilton 8B tip.  Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
  4. Transfer cupcakes to an airtight container until ready to serve.  These cupcakes are best served within 1 day after making.  I also recommend refrigerating the cupcakes until ready to serve

Notes

  • Cook time includes cooking down the strawberry puree and baking the cupcakes.