My Mission of the day: Strawberry cupcakes

 Right now, the strawberry is in season, ^^ and it means they are at their best. 

 And I like it, tangy sweet taste always great for baking. Actually I got the idea when I went out to eat (and taste as much as I can, haha), the cupcake that I ate is delicious but I think it needs something more, so I came up with my own version of it.
The key is the strawberry pieces, I boil it with small amount of sugar, it becomes sweeter but not as sweet as the jam, and the strawberry will be soften enough to blend into the batter without giving off the water (using fresh strawberry pieces will make cake damp by their water).
Syrup help keeping the cake moist, and by adding the water from the strawberry into the syrup, you will add more flavor too.
 I asked my sister to taste it, and she said that she will eat only one bite, but ended up having the whole piece instead, so I think I complete my mission today, haha. 

 Strawberry cupcakes

Makes 8-10 cupcakes

 100 g ......................... Unsalted butter
100 g ......................... Granulated sugar
2 ................................ Eggs
100 g ......................... Self-raising flour (or cake flour with 1/2 tsp baking powder)
.................................. Pinch of salt
160 g ......................... Strawberries, (trimmed and cut into pieces before weighting)
16 g ........................... Granulated sugar
50 g .......................... Simple syrup 
Buttercream
50 ml ....................... Water
180 g ........................ Granulated sugar
2 ............................... Eggs
250g ......................... Unsalted butter
1 tsp .......................... Vanilla extract
.................................. Pinch of salt

Put the strawberry pieces into microwavable bowl with 16 g of sugar and cover with plastic warp, heat for 1-2 minutes or until very soft. Let cool completely, remove the strawberry pieces into another bowl, and mix the juice with simple syrup.

Preheat the oven to 180°C
Line cupcake tins with baking cups.
Sift the flour (if using cake flour with baking powder, sift them together).

 Beat the butter with the granulated sugar and salt until fluffy and light in color, add egg then beat until combine.

Put the softened strawberry pieces into the bowl with flour, fold to combine.

Spoon into the prepared tins, bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top of the cake spring back when touch lightly.
Let the cake cool for 10 minutes then sprinkle with syrup.

Make the buttercream:

 1. In a sauce pan, put the sugar and water and bring to boil over medium low heat.
When the syrup reaches 100°C, start whisking the egg.
 2. The syrup is ready when it reaches 115°C; pour it over the egg  and continue whisking until cold.
Add salt and beat to combine, then add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the mixer speed to high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the butter is fully incorporate, add vanilla extract and beat to combine.

My Mission of the day: Strawberry cupcakes