Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes!

Strawberries were buy one get one at Safeway the other day, soooo i knew that i had to buy them. i then realized that i never really eat strawberries. so here i am with two entire containers, and nothing to do with them. ding!ding! strawberry + cupcakes = heaven? 

...and here you have it. deliciously moist cake with chunks of strawberry, with a cream cheese frosting that makes the cupcake taste like a milkshake. im not even joking, peeps, its like a milkshake in cake form. it's not even fair. sooooo outta this world good.

Strawberry Cupcakes

{*via Annie's Eats}

Yield: 34 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup cake flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2¼ cups sugar

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

3 large eggs plus 1 large egg white

1 cup milk

2½ cups finely chopped fresh strawberries*

For the frosting:

½ c. strawberries
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature (i used fat free. prob not the best idea. prettyyyy goopy)
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted
½ tsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. vanilla

For garnish:

Additional fresh strawberries*

Directions:

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt; whisk to blend.  

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar and vanilla.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs and egg white one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in two additions alternating with the milk, mixing each addition just until incorporated.  Gently fold in the chopped strawberries with a spatula.  

Divide the batter between the paper liners, filling each about ¾-full.  Bake until light golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-28 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Allow to cool in the pans a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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.

 ENJOY!!!