By America’s Test Kitchen

We were amazed to discover how many recipes for strawberry cupcakes rely on a packet of strawberry-flavored Jell-O for the flavor base. We resolved to use real berries. We put together a quick cake base and added chopped frozen strawberries (which are of reliable quality year-round) to the batter, but they disrupted the fine crumb of the cake and left behind mushy pockets. For our next round of testing, we pressed the liquid out of the strawberries and added just the juice to the batter. This time our cakes had good flavor, but the texture was still mushy. Reducing the liquid on the stovetop was the solution: This concentrated the strawberry flavor beautifully and eliminated the excess moisture. We added the strawberry solids left behind from straining to our frosting for another dose of strawberry flavor.

Strawberry Cupcakes

11/8 cups (4½ ounces) cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

10 ounces (2 cups) frozen whole strawberries

6 tablespoons whole milk

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

7 tablespoons (3 ounces) sugar

3 cups Honey Cream Cheese Frosting 

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Microwave strawberries in covered bowl until softened and very juicy, about 4 minutes.

2. Transfer strawberries to fine-mesh strainer set over small saucepan and press firmly with rubber spatula to extract as much liquid as possible; set aside solids for frosting. Boil strained strawberry juice over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and measures ¼ cup, about 8 minutes. Transfer juice to bowl and let cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in milk until combined, followed by eggs and vanilla.

3. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add juice mixture and beat until well combined, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as needed (mixture will look soupy). Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until combined, about 1 minute. Give batter final stir by hand.

4. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with few crumbs attached, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking.

5. Let cupcakes cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin tin and let cool completely on rack, about 1 hour. (Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.) Stir reserved strawberry solids into frosting until combined. Spread or pipe frosting evenly on cupcakes. Serve.

Makes 12 cupcakes | muffin tin

Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/4 pounds cream cheese, softened

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon table salt

2/3 cup honey

1. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

2. Reduce speed to medium-low, add honey, and whip until smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until frosting is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. (Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; let soften at room temperature, about 1 hour, then rewhip on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.) 

Makes 5 cups, enough for two-layer cake

Reprinted, with permission, from Cook’s Illustrated Desserts by America’s Test Kitchen (2022), americastestkitchen.com.