Sprinkles Cupcakes' Strawberry Cupcakes

Recently, I had a bunch of strawberries laying around so I found myself searching for recipes involving strawberries (note: more to come!). One recipe that seemed to leap out at me as soon as I googled "strawberry cupcakes" was a recipe from Sprinkles Cupcakes. I am now really curious to try the cupcakes from this place and it will definitely be on the list of places to go if I ever head to one of the cities that they are located in. The owner has made appearances on several tv shows. She had demonstrated this particular recipe on Oprah, which is probably why it popped out at me.

I decided to make mini cupcakes since I was bringing them to a party so I reduced the time in the oven. I didn't even really get to taste one for myself but everyone who had one told me they were good! I had a feeling they were good though from just having a taste of the batter!

INGREDIENTS:

Cupcakes:
2/3 cup fresh or frozen whole Strawberries (thawed if frozen)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose Flour (sifted)
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. coarse Salt
1/4 cup whole Milk (room temperature)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted Butter (room temperature)
1 cup Sugar
1 large Egg (room temperature)
2 large Egg Whites (room temperature)

Frosting:
1/2 cup whole Strawberries
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted Butter (firm and slightly cold)
Pinch coarse Salt
3 1/2 cups Confectioners' Sugar (sifted)
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin tin or 24-cup mini muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Place strawberries in a small food processor and process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree. Add a few more strawberries if necessary, or save any extra puree for frosting.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla and strawberry puree.

Cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes for regular size cupcakes, and 15 to 18 minutes for mini cupcakes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Icing:
Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed.

Beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar, beating until well combined.

Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended.

Using a pastry bag fitted with a tip of your choice or simply using an offset spatula, pipe/spread frosting on each cupcake. Add any other decor of your choice (I decided to use little pieces of strawberries). Enjoy!