Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients

FOR CUPCAKES:

•  3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
•  1 tablespoon plus ¾ teaspoon baking powder
•  ¾ teaspoon salt
•  1 ¼ cups buttermilk, room temperature
•  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•  1 teaspoon lemon extract
•  1 ½ cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), room temperature
•  2 ½ cups granulated sugar
•  5 large eggs, room temperature
•  Zest of 1 lemon
•  ½ cup fresh strawberry, hulled and diced finely

FOR THE SWISS MERINGUE FROSTING

•  1 ½ cups granulated sugar
•  6 large egg whites, room temperature
•  2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
•  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•  Juice of 1/2 a lemon
•  ½ cup fresh strawberry puree

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line muffin tins with cupcake wrappers.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Combine buttermilk, vanilla extract and lemon extract. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
5. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down side of bowl as necessary. Beat in lemon zest.
6. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with 2 batches of buttermilk mixture and beginning and ending with flour. Mix well to combine after each addition and scrape sides of bowl as needed. Fold in the strawberries by hand using a rubber spatula.
7. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling ⅔ to the top.
8. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.
9. Transfer pans to wire racks and let cool in pans for 2 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Strawberry Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

1. Whisk together sugar and egg whites in a heatproof mixing bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water.
2. Whisk until warm and sugar is dissolved (mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingers), 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk egg white mixture for about 5 minutes. Then increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form and meringue has cooled (test by feeling bottom of bowl), about 6 minutes. (Be sure the meringue is cooled before proceeding with adding your butter. If it is not cooled, your butter will melt.)
4. Reduce speed to medium. Add butter, one piece at a time, beating well after each addition. Continmue whipping on medium-high speed until the buttercream comes together, about 2-3 minutes after all the butter has been added.
5. Beat in vanilla, lemon juice, and the strawberry puree into the buttercream until combined.
6. Best if used immediately or store airtight in refrigerator for up to a week.
7. Use buttercream to frost cupcakes using your favorite decorative tip.
8. Decorate with fresh strawberries and lemon wedges.