Ingredients

• 3 cups Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
• 3 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened
• 2 cups Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 3 Tbsp Lemon Zest
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Whole Milk divided
• 6 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

• 1 cup Fresh Strawberries trimmed
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened
• 3 1/2 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar divided
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
2. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at at time. Mix in the lemon zest and vanilla extract.
3. Beat 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, then pour in half the milk and half the lemon juice. Mix until combined.
4. Mix in another 1/3 of the flour and pour in remaining milk and lemon juice. Mix until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
5. Pour in last 1/3 of the flour and mix until just combined.
6. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 17 minutes.
7. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before frosting them.

1. Puree strawberries in a blender until smooth.
2. Pour puree into a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often, until puree is reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. You can refrigerate if preferred.
3. With an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. This may take awhile!
4. Beat in 1 cup of the powdered sugar.
5. Add 1/3 of the puree and the vanilla extract and blend until fully incorporated.
6. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar again, followed by another 1/3 of the puree and blend well. Repeat.
7. Beat in last 1/2 cup powdered sugar until blended and fluffy. Frost lemon cupcakes with buttercream frosting and enjoy!