My Cupcakes Bring all the Boys to the Yard!

I have had these strawberry cupcakes on my mind for quite sometime as they are my recipe cover page on Pinterest.  So every time I pin-  the little cakes say hello to my sweet tooth.  Luckily, there was finally a deal at our local grocer on strawberries, so when David came home with two large containers I immediately knew their fate.  Sorry little guys.  Weren't they beautes?

The recipe is fairly easy from An Edible Mosaic.  This girl knows what she is talking about!  I've tried quite a few of her recipes and they don't disappoint!  Though since I am a baking novice I requested the  supervision of my Baking Queen friend Rachel.  With her tutelage the cupcakes came out fruity, yummy, & moist!  One of her tips: to slightly undercook, bc the baking process continues after you remove a dessert from the oven.  We both enjoy moist as opposed to dry.  Don't you? 

(Also note, we couldn't find strawberry extract, but they were strawberryie enough without it)

And in one fell swoop, the strawberry disappeared!


I think at this point we were just abusing the camera man a.k.a. David

Recipe from An Edible Mosaic

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Frosting

Yields about 24 to 28 cupcakes

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/8 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

9 oz hulled fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups chopped strawberries, lightly packed)

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

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup milk (any kind)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon strawberry extract (if available)

Fresh Strawberry Frosting (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350F and line cupcake tins with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.  Puree the strawberries in a blender or food processor (you will get about 1 1/4 cups of strawberry liquid); set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar, then cream in the eggs; mix in the milk, vanilla extract, strawberry extract, and pureed strawberries.  Use a wooden spoon to stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients all at once, stirring just enough to combine and being careful not to over-mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake wells (filling each about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way full) and bake until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean, about 20 to 24 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting with Fresh Strawberry Frosting.

Fresh Strawberry Frosting

2 oz hulled fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped (about 1/3 cup chopped strawberries, lightly packed)

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

1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)

1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract (if available)

1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 1/4 lbs powdered (confectioner’s) sugar  (Chelsey's Note: 1lb of powdered sugar was plenty sweet)

1-3 teaspoons milk (any kind)

Puree the strawberries in a blender or food processor (you will get about 6 tablespoons of strawberry liquid).  Use a handheld electric mixer to beat together the strawberry puree, butter, vanilla bean paste, strawberry extract, and sea salt.  Gradually beat in the sugar until it’s all incorporated, adding 1 teaspoon of milk at a time as necessary (you may not need all the milk).

What is your favorite Spring Dessert?!