Strawberry Cupcakes

Inspiration:
This recipe on the cooking blog Annie's Eats (modified from a recipe on Good Things Catered).

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• 2 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups chopped strawberries

For the frosting:

• ½ c. strawberries
• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
   
   

2. Sift flour, salt and baking soda into a medium bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in chopped strawberries. Fill cupcake wells ¾ full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

3. For the frosting, puree strawberries in food processor. Strain through a mesh sieve to remove seeds, and set aside. Beat the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add lemon juice, vanilla and strawberry puree. Adjust the amount of puree to achieve your desired consistency. Frost cupcakes when completely cool.

Tim's Rating: 10/10 ("Incredible")

Liz's Rating: 10/10