Strawberries can make or break a cupcake.

After a year of baking, I consider these to be one of my favorite recipes of all time.

I mean, just look at the presentation! I'm a visual person. When I virtually flip through the hundreds of food images in my mind (or in my iPhoto library), the frothy pinkness of this just pops out at me.

As for the flavor... imagine an entire Watsonville strawberry farm evaporating into whipped butter - with you in the cool, sugary center.

The cake base itself has a sweet, melt-in-your-mouth texture with a fragrant hint of strawberries - far from the dry cupcake base that often gets tossed after the frosting's licked off. And the frosting - oh, the frosting!

It's fluffy, light, and fruity - I had four spoonfuls of the frosting, alone.

While I was initially reluctant to try a corporate Sprinkles recipe, I didn't have the cake flour required for a similar recipe this one, or I didn't feel like making a complicated frosting on the stove (if you want to try the strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream, however... here's the recipe.)

At any rate, you just need to try this. My mom brought this batch to work the next day, and she said that everyone ate it all up - instantly! Even her finicky boss, who's been baking for years, and who KNOWS his cupcakes.

I present to you...

Strawberry Cupcakes
(adapted from Sprinkles's Strawberry Cupcakes)

Ingredients

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. pure 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

Directions



Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

Finely chop strawberries.
(The original recipe says to puree them in a small food processor. I didn't know where my grandma kept it in the kitchen, so I just chopped my strawberries. It was more work, of course, but I think that it actually turned out better because you could actually chew on some small strawberry chunks in the cupcake!)

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

In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla and chopped strawberries; set aside.

Cream the 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.
A close-up of the batter (you can just make out some strawberry chunks!):
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. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Before baking:
After baking!

Now, time for the FROSTING!
(adapted from Sprinkles's Strawberry Frosting)

Ingredients

1/2 cup frozen whole strawberries , thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , firm and slightly cold
Pinch coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar , sifted
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions

Chop strawberries.

Beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons chopped strawberries; mix until just blended. Do not overmix, or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Now, for the best part!



Choose a cupcake...
(IMPORTANT: make sure it's cooled, or else the frosting will melt!)

And decorate!

Believe it or not, you can make them look good, even when trying to fit them into Tupperware for transportation.

Enjoy!