Strawberry Cupcakes - HeAvEn!!!

I was craving strawberries this weekend so i set out to make a new recipe with fresh strawberries. I was delighted at how these turned out and i actually put half the strawberries in the batter and left half without for those who wanted a vanilla cake only. The icing was even better the next day and the moisture from the strawberries kept the cake and icing super fresh and the strawberry was not overwhelming in the least bit. I did not use any coloring in this icing, but the pink naturally came out from the fresh juice in the strawberries. I will be making this again and changing it up.

Directions

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour (not self rising)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs plus 1 large egg white

1 cup whole milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups finely chopped strawberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Wisk dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time and beat lightly after each addition, add vanilla. Reduce the mixer to low. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. At this point you can add in strawberries to the batter or leave out completely, depending on your taste. The vanilla batter is fine with or even better with the strawberry pieces. Fill muffin cups to 2/3 full and bake cupcakes until lightly brown about 15 minutes to 20 minutes depending on oven. Remove and allow cool on wire racks.

Frosting

3 cups confectioners sugar

1 tsp butter

1 tbsp cream

1 cup chopped strawberries

1 tbsp vanilla

Cream butter and cream and add vanilla and half of sugar. Stir in the strawberries and the rest of the sugar. Beat together and spread on cooled cupcakes.