Summer Strawberry Cupcakes

Prep Time: 25 mins| Cook Time: 15 mins | Course: Dessert | Yield: 24-26

Summer strawberry cupcakes are light with an ethereally flavorful strawberry meringue buttercream. Inspired by Martha Stewart in her cookbook, Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes. 

3 ¼ cups flour 

2 ¼ cups sugar 

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup butter, softened 

1 cup milk

4 eggs 

1 Tbsp vanilla 

2 cups strawberries, diced

Preheat oven to 350*. Place cupcake liners in muffin tin wells and lightly spray with oil. In a stand mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add softened butter and turn the mixer on for one minute or until combined. In a measurer, whisk milk, eggs, and vanilla together; pour into the batter and mix again for about one minute until the flour mixture is combined. Stir in strawberries by hand with a rubber scraper. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, about ¾ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. If using an insta-thermometer, cupcakes should be a minimum of 200* when done.

Strawberry Buttercream:

1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and pureed 

4 egg whites 

1 ¼ cups sugar 

1 ½ cups butter, softened 

1 tsp vanilla 

Place freshly hulled strawberries in a food processor. Pulse until finely puréed. In a stand mixing bowl, whisk eggs and sugar on medium-low heat over a small pan with an inch of water in it to create a double boiler. Whisk until the sugar is melted and the mixture is just barely warm. Place the bowl in the stand mixer and beat with a wire with attachment for about five minutes until the egg whites are fluffy and hold a stiff peak. Add butter 1 tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. Then add vanilla and the strawberry purée. Continue to whisk for a couple of minutes until the buttercream completely comes together.  If it looks like the buttercream is broken or separated, warm the bowl with your hands a little bit until it comes together.