Strawberry Cupcake

I have been making a lot of these recently for my childrens teachers and friends.  Today I made these cutie's with strawberry.  I just love the little touch of sliced strawberry on top of each cupcake.  I have nothing much to say " as the saying goes, this picture says thousand words"...

Source; Martha Stewart Cupcake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling fruit
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk
10 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into small dice, plus more for garnish
Strawberry Meringue Buttercream

( I halved the recipe above )

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 1/2 standard 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
• Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition. Fold in strawberries.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups so that each is about two-thirds full, about 2 ounces each. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on wire racks.

Strawberry Meringue


5 large, fresh egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 lb  butter, cut into cubes and cool, but not cold
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (or to taste) strawberry puree OR a handful (about 1 cup, or more to taste) of fresh, washed, and dried strawberries, chopped
pinch of salt
few drops pink food colouring (optional)

Method

• If using strawberry puree, place a handful of frozen strawberries in a food processor, and process until a smooth puree. Measure approximately 1/4 cup and set aside (you may want to add more puree to taste).
• Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with paper towel and lemon juice, to remove any trace of grease.
• Add egg whites and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 150°F, or if you don’t have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.
• With whisk attachment of mixer, begin to whip until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes or so). *Don’t begin adding butter until the bottom of the bowl feels neutral, and not warm.
• Switch over to paddle attachment and, with mixer on low speed, add butter cubes, one at a time, until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth). *If mixture is too runny, refrigerate for about 15 minutes and continue mixing with paddle attachment until it comes together.
• Add vanilla and salt, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.
• Add strawberry puree to taste or the finely chopped strawberries, and blend until combined.
• Add small amount of pink food colouring, if desired.

Make Strawberry Meringue Buttercream and spread or pipe about 1/2 cup frosting on top of each cupcake. Garnish with strawberries, cut into halves, quarters, or left whole, depending on the size.