vanilla cupcakes

 

Vanilla Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Icing

I'm not much for sweets, so when I do have them I really only like a bite.
These are one bite cupcakes and they are delicious! 

Vanilla Cupcakes

I used mini mini cupcake pans and the recipe yielded 32, if using standard muffin trays - yield is 12.

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease cupcake pan.
In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
I baked the minis for 10 minutes. For regular cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes.
 

Strawberry Icing

1/2 cup fresh strawberries

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
1 1/4 cups icing sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 

Roughly chop the strawberries and place in a saucepan with a tbsp of water. Let simmer for five minutes, remove from heat and mash with a potato masher. Put the mash through a strainer, pushing the mix through with a spatula. Discard the pulpy bit, put the juice aside.

In a stand mixer, or with beaters beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add icing sugar, beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use), mix until just blended. Don't over-mix, frosting should be thick and creamy. You may need to add a little extra icing sugar.