Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes

By miss5elements

"My mom used to make me cupcakes all the time - they're easier to hand a hungry kid who wants cake," says Chistina Tosi, pastyr chef at New York's famed Momofuku Milk Bar. "She'd make vanilla because I was a pretty picky cupcake eater." Lemon-flavored sponge cake was too sophisticated for the chef back then, but now her zesty strawberry lemon cake is a MIlk Bar favorite (this simplified version of the bakery's recipe is versatile enough to adapt to any pan shape). Tosi says the secret to its perfection is finding a great unsalted butter, like the super-indulgent Plugra brand that she prefers. And using pickled jam in lieu of strawberry preserves cuts the sweetness to make it a bit tart.

Ingredients

• CUPCAKES
• 8 T butter
• 1.5 c granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 T buttermilk
• 1/3 c grape-seed oil (or canola or vegetable oil)
• 3 T lemon juice
• 1.75 c cake flour
• 1.5 t baking powder
• 1 t kosher salt
• PICKLED STRAWBERRY JAM
• Makes about 1.5c
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1 t pectin
• 1/4 t kosher salt
• 1/2 c strawberry puree (from 2 cups of fresh strawberries)
• 1/2 t sherry wine vinegar
• 1/4 t white wine vinegar
• PICKLED STRAWBERRY FROSTING
• Makes about 1.5c
• 3/4 c vanilla frosting (homemade or store-bought)
• 3/4 c pickled strawberry jam
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced (optional)

Details

Servings 12
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 50mins
Adapted from instyle.com

Preparation

Step 1

FOR CUPCAKES
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Using a stand or hand mixer w/the paddle attachment, cream butter & sugar on med-high speed for 2-3 min. Scrape down sides & add eggs; mix for 2-3 min.
3. Add buttermilk, oil, & lemon juice; mix on med-high speed for 3-4 min, until smooth.
4. Using a very low speed, add flour, baking powder, & salt. Mix until dry ingredients are incorporated & better is smooth.
5. Prepare cupcake pan w/liners. Fill each liner w/a little more than halfway & bake for 15-20 min, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let cakes cool completely.

FOR STRAWBERRY JAM
1. Whisk together sugar, pectin, & salt in a med saucepan over med-high heat. To pickle, slowly stir in puree, sherry vinegar, & white wine vinegar; bring to a full rolling boil. Reduce heat; cook at a low boil for 2 min to activate pectin & firm the puree.
2. Once the jam coats the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat & let it cool.

FOR FROSTING
1. In a med bowl, mix frosting & strawberry jam until well combined. Refrigerate remaining jam in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
2. Frost cooled cupcakes w/the mixture; top w/a lemon twist.