Strawberry Cupcakes topped with Strawberry Swiss Meringue Butter Cream

I made these a while back when the Korean strawberry were in season. The recipe requires one box of the strawberry for the cupcakes and the butter cream. But if you are topping the cupcakes with fresh strawberries, you may need another 1/2 a box. Of course, you can use strawberries from any part of world to make this recipe.

Strawberry Cupcakes
(adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes book) - makes 34 regular cupcakes
Ingredients:
213g organic unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp salt
113g butter, at room temperature
223g sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
119 ml milk
1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberry (1/2 a box)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
• Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl.
• Cream butter, salt and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• Add vanilla.
• Reduce speed of mixer to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk and beating until well combined.
• Fold in the fresh chopped strawberry into the batter by hand.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups in the muffin tin, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake for 25 min or till golden brown and cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean. 
• Let the cupcakes cool for 15 min in pan and then transfer them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.  

Strawberry Swiss Meringue Butter Cream

Ingredients:
3/4 cup finely chopped strawberry (1/2 a box)
2 large egg whites
124g sugar
170g butter at room temperature, cut into cubed
118 ml good quality strawberry jam

Directions:

• In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (about 71 degrees Celsius).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter a few cubes at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.). Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir in strawberry jam and fine chopped strawberry with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.
• Transfer butter cream into a pipping bag fitted with a large star tip and frost the cupcakes.

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