Strawberry Cupcakes

Yield: 30 cupcakes

Recipe by Martha Stewart

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

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

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 1/2 standard 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Ice with Strawberry Meringue Buttercream and garnish with strawberries.