Strawberry Cupcakes

I looooooooooove this recipe!  I found it in my Martha Stewart Cupcakes Cookbook.  If you like cupcakes, you would love this cookbook.  

Martha has so many creative ideas on how to make, decorate, and display cupcakes.  The cupcakes use fresh strawberries which is PERFECT for summer.  I love taking pictures of the process, but have learned that I need daylight to get great pictures.  Look at the box score below.  Can you guess what time I was making these?

Yep.  That is right. ONE AM.  I surprisingly didn't screw anything up...

The Cake Goods:

• 2-3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 TBSP baking powder
• 1 TSP salt
• 2 sticks of butter
• 2-1/4 cups of sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs plus 1 egg white
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries (about 20)

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

2.  Sift together flours, baking powder, and salt. 

3.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time (including egg white), vanilla, and beat until each is incorporated. 

4.  Add half of your flour mixture, and beat until well combined.  Add your milk, and you guessed it...mix until well combined.  :) Now add the remaining flour mixture, and you know what to do know.  

5.  Fold in your chopped strawberries by hand.  Evenly, distribute batter into muffin tins and bake 25-30 minutes.  

Icing Goods:

• 1/2 cup fresh strawberries
• 2 sticks butter
• Pinch of salt
• 3-1/2 cups powder sugar
• 1/2 TSP vanilla

1.  In a small food processor, add your strawberries and pulse until they have been pureed. 

2.  In a mixing bowl, beat butter and salt until light and fluffy.

3.  Slowly add your powder sugar; mixing as you go. Beat until well combined.

4.  Add vanilla and 3 TBSP of strawberry puree.  Mix until just blended.  Do not over mix!

Grace, peace, and be sure to enjoy some sweets!

{Leslie}