Ingredients

The following ingredients have 24 Servings
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose
  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons half-and-half
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, (room temperature)
  • 2 3/4 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries (or frozen strawberries that have been defrosted)
  • 1 cup butter, (softened)
  • 2 1/2 to 3 cups confectioners' sugar, (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two 12-cup muffing pans with liners.
  • In a large bowl sift together both flours, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large glass liquid measuring cup combine milk, half-and-half, and vanilla. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar. Beat for 2 to 5 minutes, depending on how soft butter is. You want to beat until the mixture looks very creamy.
  • Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  • With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with liquid ingredients added in 2 additions. Mix each addition just until ingredients are combined before adding next addition. Scrape sides of bowl to make sure everything is mixed well.
  • Let batter rest for 15 minutes.
  • Stir batter gently and divide between cupcake liners, filling 3/4 full. Bake until tops are firm and a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
  • Place strawberries in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer strawberry puree to a small saucepan and simmer (stirring frequently) until reduced by at least half. You should have about 1/3 a cup of puree. Place puree in a small bowl and refrigerate until cooled.
  • Beat butter until fluffy. Beat in 1 cup of confectioner's sugar.
  • Beat in half of strawberry puree.
  • Beat in another cup of confectioners' sugar and then the remaining puree.
  • Beat in vanilla extract.
  • Do a taste test and based on desired sweetness, add either 1/2 or 1 full cup of confectioners' sugar. If you need to thin the frosting, add a little milk or half-and-half.