Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes (or muffins!)

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

This recipe came about in an attempt to find a new recipe for the amazing strawberries we've been getting this summer. I simply took my favorite blueberry muffin recipe (which is much more like cake than muffins), used strawberries instead of blueberries and topped them with a delicious cream cheese frosting! Once again, half this recipe makes 12 regular sized cupcakes, which is plenty in our house. I did try two different recipes and the food critic and I are at odds over which one is better, so I'm giving you my vote!

origin - Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Family Style
difficulty - easy

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 3 extra -large eggs, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream

• 1/4 cup milk

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems *substitute fresh strawberries quartered, dry lightly with paper towel and sprinkly with flour before folding into the batter.
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries, strawberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

3. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, *I prefer to fill 3/4 full, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean. Top with cream cheese frosting once completely cooled. Recipe follows.
   

The bakers at Barefoot Contessa use an ice-cream scoop to measure the batter so that every muffin comes out the same size.
Greasing the tops of the pans makes it easier to take the muffins out.
Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese
4 tbsp butter softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted

Cream the cheese and butter together. Don't have the cheese too soft or it will break down in the mixing process. Add the sifted sugar just until combined and smooth. Do not overmix. Spread over cupcakes.