Pink Strawberry Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Sometimes, a girl just needs some girl time, to talk about girl things with girls who get stuff like girl things.  In times like these, it is best to throw an unbirthday party–girls only–with a lot of pink cupcakes.  I found everything I needed on RecipeGirl.com and fell in-love immediately.  Pink. Strawberry. Cupcakes.  What’s not to love?  I also hoisted Recipe Girl’s perfected buttercream frosting recipe, and that one will be used over and over.  Now,  I don’t have fancy frosting bags and tips, I just used a spatula.  I also couldn’t find any pink sprinkles at my grocery, but I think both of those things would turn these into even better pink strawberry cupcakes, if such a thing exists.

Pink Strawberry Cupcakes
(Recipe from Recipe Girl)

Preheat oven to 350′

Line cupcake pan with cupcake papers (makes about 18 cupcakes)

3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup smashed/pureed frozen strawberries
2 1/4 cup flour
2 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites
1/3 cup milk
a few drops of pink food coloring or gel paste

Whip butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add strawberry puree and mix well.  Sift flour, baking powder and salt and add to strawberry mixture, stir to combine.  Batter will be VERY thick, you did it right, I promise.

Whisk egg whites, milk and dye together until frothy, add to dough in three separate batches, mixing only until incorporated.

Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 the way full, bake 18-22 minutes until toothpick in center comes out clean.

Buttercream Frosting
Recipe adapted from Recipe Girl

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon whipping cream
pink gel paste

Cream sugar and butter until well blended, add vanilla, whipping cream and coloring, beat another 3 minutes until fluffy and delicious.  Add more powdered sugar or whipping cream to get desired consistency.