Strawberry Cupcakes

Disclaimer: These cupcakes are so delicious, I've made two batches in the last four days.  That's a lot of cupcakes, even for me.

Several months ago, I took an amazing cupcake class at Butter Lane in New York.  Since then, I haven't made a single cupcake, instead pining away for the magic of a stand mixer, to whose camp I became a firm convert after the class.  Thanks to a U of C audit in my favor (sounds like something out of Monopoly's Community Chest, but for real), I finally bought a beautiful refurbished KitchenAid and have been chomping at the bit to make something with it for about a week.

To celebrate the arrival of both my friend Britta, who is moving to the area for graduate school, and Shelly the Stand Mixer: Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting.  This recipe is based on the Butter Lane class's recipe, but adjusted to reflect the different ingredients I had on hand and to incorporate the addition of fruit.

For the strawberry cake batter, you'll need:

1/2 lb. unsalted butter, softened

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

12 oz. plain or strawberry-flavored Greek yogurt

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3 cups white flour

1/2 lb. strawberries, roughly chopped into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a cupcake pan (or three, as this recipe yields 3 dozen cupcakes) with paper liners—I'm partial to these.

Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl.  Mix together until light and creamy.

Crack eggs into a separate bowl and add the vanilla extract.  Add eggs one yolk at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.  Mix together until light and fluffy.

Add salt and baking powder, along with half of the flour to the mixture.  Mix until just combined.  Add the yogurt, then mix again until just combined.  Add the chopped strawberries right at the end, and mix until just incorporated into the batter.  Here's Shelly in action:

Using an ice cream scoop, place the batter into the cupcake liners.

Bake for 21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.  Let the cupcakes cool before frosting.  In the meantime, make the frosting!

For the strawberry buttercream frosting, you'll need:

1 lb. unsalted butter (4 sticks), softened

4 oz. cream cheese

7 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb. strawberries, roughly and finely chopped

Combine butter and cream cheese in the mixing bowl and mix for about 5 minutes, until very light and creamy.

While mixing at a slow speed, slowly add the sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time. 

At the same time, slightly crush the strawberries with the flat of a knife to release some of the juices.  After all the sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla extract and strawberries.  Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until the frosting is smooth.

Once the cupcakes are cool, frost and top with a slice of strawberry.

Waste no more time: Let's eat!