Gluten Free Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes

I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website and supposedly it's the actual Sprinkles Cupcake shop recipe.

Even if it's not, they are really, really good.

I love the slight strawberry flavor and are perfect for a birthday party, baby shower (for a girl, of course), bridal shower, Valentine's Day, or just a Sunday Night Treat.

The first batch I made, I kinda cheated.  I thought: "do I really need to get out my heavy duty mixer", "do I really need to mix the ingredients in order", "does this recipe really only make 12".  The answer to all the above it yes, yes, yes!  Use your heavy-duty mixer, follow each step, and yes, it only makes 12 cupcakes!

The recipe makes 12 cupcakes, and the frosting says enough for 12 cupcakes, but I found I needed to make more cupcakes (which wasn't an issue!) to use up all the frosting.  So unless you like a ton of frosting on your cupcakes, half the frosting recipe or make 2 dozen cupcakes.  I would go with the latter... 

Gluten Free Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes

with Gluten Free Strawberry Frosting

2/3 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Flour Mix

1 rounded teaspoon xanthan gum

1 rounded teaspoon baking powder

1/4 t. coarse salt

1/4 cup milk, room temperature

1 t. vanilla

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg, room temperature

2 egg whites, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

Process strawberries until pureed.  Reserve 1/3 cup, and set aside leftover for frosting.  Add more strawberries if necessary to get 1/3 cup puree.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree, set aside.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed, until light and fluffy.  Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy.  Reduce the mixer speed and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended.  Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended.  Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, ass necessary until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.  I found this to be about 1/3 cup of batter, which seems like a lot but they will shrink as they cool.   Bake until tops are dry to the touch, about 22-25 minutes.  Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing with Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting.

Gluten Free Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting

1/2 cup frozen strawberries, thawed

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, firm and slightly cold

Pinch of coarse salt

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

Process strawberries until pureed.  In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Reduce mixer speed and slowly add powdered sugar; beat until well combine.  Add vanilla and 3 T. strawberry puree, mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air.  Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.