Happy Spring.

I saw this recipe in Relish and it appealed to me because it contains no artificial flavorings or dyes. The cupcakes are not too sweet as they acquire their taste from pureed fresh strawberries.

The pretty pastel pink icing gets color from strawberry jam.

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

Recipe from Relish.com

 Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups small fresh strawberries or large ones cut into halves
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons strawberry jam

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Place strawberries in a food processor; process until puréed. You should have 2/3 cup purée.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Mix together milk, vanilla, lime juice and 2/3 cup strawberry purée.
4. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until well combined and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
5. Reduce speed to low and slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula until just blended.
6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.
7. To prepare frosting, beat butter and cream cheese together using an electric mixer. Beat in powdered sugar and jam. Frost tops of cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Debi adds:

I froze some of these to remove the temptation to eat all twelve by myself. The frozen ones tasted just fine after returning to room temperature.