Strawberry Cupcakes

By exdircomp

Ingredients

• Icing:
• 10-ounce package frozen sliced strawberries in syrup, thawed
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or 1 1/4 cup cake flour)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound (1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper cupcake liners.

Puree the thawed strawberries and their syrup in a blender. Whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla extract and half the strawberry puree (about 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons).

Separately sift the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the oil and beat with a hand-held mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add a third of the strawberry mixture and beat another 20 seconds. Repeat twice with the remaining strawberry mixture.

Divide the batter among the 12 cupcake liners and bake the cupcakes for 14 to 20 minutes, just until their tops are softly set and a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes up covered with moist crumbs. (Overbaking the cupcakes makes them tough.) Let the cupcakes cool.

Make the icing by beating the powdered sugar with the softened butter and about half of the remaining strawberry puree — or enough to make a smooth but not too thin icing. Spread the icing on the cooled cupcakes.

Store the cupcakes, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.