Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
 
 
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
for the cupcakes
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup milk
  • Zest and juice from 2 lemons
for the frosting
  • ½ ounce freeze dried strawberries
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
Directions
for the cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners so you have enough for 12 cupcakes.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt until combined.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla then beat on medium-high until combined. Add the flour mixture while on low until only a few streaks remain. Add the milk, lemon zest and juice then whisk by hand until combined.
  4. Fill the cupcake liners with the batter until ⅔ full. Bake for 18-22 minutes. They are done when a toothpick comes out clean and the tops spring back when you lightly press on them. Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
for the frosting
  1. Turn the freeze-dried strawberries into a powder using a food processor or by carefully crushing into a powder in the bag with a rolling pin. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the strawberry powder and the powdered sugar, beat on low until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Frost the cupcakes using a pastry bag fitted with a 1M Wilton tip.
Recipe by Lemon & Mocha at http://www.lemonandmocha.com/2019/06/05/strawberry-lemonade-cupcakes/