Strawberry Cupcakes

 from Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills
Makes:  12 cupcakes
Hands-on time:  1 hour 20 minutes
Total time:  2 hours 20 minutes

2/3 cup halved fresh strawberries
¼ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp Kosher salt
Strawberry Frosting*

1.  Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.  Puree strawberries in food processor.  Combine with milk and vanilla; set aside.

2.  Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well.  Add egg and egg whites, one at a time, at medium speed.

3.  Whisk flour with baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture.  Begin and end with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed after each addition.

4.  Spoon batter into lined muffin pans.  Bake 20 minutes or until tops are dry to the touch.  Remove and cool on wire racks.  Top with Strawberry Frosting.

* Strawberry Frosting                                                                                                                      
Puree ½ cup halved fresh strawberries in food processor.  Reserve 3 Tbsp puree; save extra for other uses.  Beat 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter and 1/8 tsp Kosher salt at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually add 3 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar at low speed until blended.  Add 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract and 3 Tbsp strawberry puree; beat just until blended, thick and creamy.