Strawberry Cupcakes

Add the strawberries, granulated sugar and lemon juice to a medium saucepan.
10 oz (283 g) quartered, fresh strawberries, 6 tbsp (75 g) granulated sugar, 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
Heat the strawberries over medium heat until the berries break down and thicken, stirring them occasionally. It should take about 15-17 minutes for them to thicken.
Remove from the heat and allow to completely cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with 12 liners. Then set aside.
In a small bowl sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda salt. Then set aside.
1 1/4 cup (140 g) cake flour, spooned and leveled, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp baking soda , 1/4 tsp salt
Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to a large bowl. Cream together with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
5 tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter, softened , 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
Then add in the egg whites and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until smooth and pale in color, 1-2 minutes.
2 egg whites, at room temperature, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Alternate adding the buttermilk and the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until everything is incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
Fill each liner with batter. Each should be about 3/4 of the way full.
Bake the cupcakes for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for ten minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Add the softened butter to bowl and mix it on high speed with an electric mixer until it is pale in color and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.
1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
Then add in the cold cream cheese and mix until thoroughly combined.
4 oz. (114 g) cream cheese, cold
Sift in the powder sugar a little at a time. Mix on low speed until all is combined.
2 1/2 cups (325 g) powdered sugar
Add the freeze dried strawberries to a food processor and pulse until they are finely ground.
(It's important to wait to grind up the strawberries until you're ready to add them to the frosting. If you live in a humid climate like me, they will get really clumpy and difficult to work with!)
3/4 cup (15 g) freeze dried strawberries
Add the ground freeze dried strawberries to the frosting and combine on low speed. Then mix on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.

Once the cupcakes are completely cooled remove a bit of the centers of each. Fill each with the strawberry jam.
Transfer the strawberry cream cheese frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. (My favorite to use is always my Wilton 1M tip). Pipe a generous amount of frosting on top of each cupcake and then serve!