Adapted from The Best Vanilla Cupcakes and Our Best Italian-Style Buttercream
Get ready
1 cup lactose free milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Add the lemon juice to the milk and stir. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes or until thickened.
1.2 ounces freeze dried strawberries
In the bowl of a food processor pulse the strawberries until they are a fine powder. Sift to remove any large pieces. Large pieces can be used to decorate the top of the cupcakes.
Make the cupcakes
1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Line standard size muffin tins with 18 paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until soft. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the oil. Add the eggs one at a time then add the yolk.
Add the vanilla to the milk. Stir about half of the strawberry powder into the flour. Add the milk and flour alternating between flour and milk beginning and ending with flour. Beat until well incorporated.
Divide the batter evenly between the 18 liners in the muffin tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Check after 15 minutes and adjust the timing accordingly. Once a tester comes out clean remove the cupcakes from the tins and cool completely on a rack.
Make the frosting – Italian Buttercream
90 g egg whites
A pinch of cream of tartar
A pinch of salt
175 g granulated sugar
¼ cup water
2 sticks (8 ounces) butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon Cointreau
In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water until boiling. Use a pastry brush and cold water to brush any sugar from the side of the pan. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and cook until reaching 240°F.
While the sugar cooks beat the egg whites. Begin at low to medium speed until they are foamy. Then add the cream of tartar and salt. Increase the speed of the mixer to high and beat until soft peaks form.
With the mixer on low, slowly pour the hot sugar syrup between the side of the bowl and the whisk. Once all the syrup is incorporated, raise the mixer to high and beat until the bottom of the mixing bowl is cool to the touch.
At this point you have an Italian meringue. It is time to incorporate the butter. Pinch off pieces of butter and toss them into the meringue a few at a time. The butter should be soft and feel a little greasy. Once the pieces of butter have disappeared into the meringue toss in a few more pieces. Continue until all the butter is incorporated. Beat in the Cointreau. The buttercream should be silky smooth.
Assembly
Insert a large star tip into a large piping bag. Spoon the buttercream into the piping bag. Pipe a rosette on top of each cupcake. Sprinkle the tops with the large bits of freeze dried strawberries and any leftover strawberry powder.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the buttercream to firm up a bit.