DailyBuzz Moms has again invited me to join their 9 x 9 – this month it’s all about floral cupcakes! Now that is a topic I just couldn’t turn down! When I first started thinking about what to make I had visions of piping beautiful buttercream peonies… But I knew how that would turn out… Me eating spoonfuls of butter and sugar in the form of that evil irresistible buttercream. So I decided to save calories, time, and a stomachache by topping a fresh strawberry Cooking Light cake turned into bite-sized cupcakes with my favorite tangy lemon glaze. The combination of the cake and glaze turned out to be even tastier than buttercream.
Tiny wild daisies from the backyard made pretty cupcake toppers. No wild flowers in your backyard? You can get edible flowers in the fresh herb section of the grocery store.
Favorite 2-year-old kitchen job: lining muffin cups with pretty liners. These are from Fancy Flours. 
 Wouldn’t these be so cute for a baby or bridal shower? The only thing I wasn’t thrilled about was just how bright pink these turned out – I prefer natural color and would not add as much food coloring next time.

 Skinny Strawberry Cupcakes with Lemon Glaze
printer friendly recipe
makes about 24 cupcakes

 Cake:
1 1/4 cups sliced strawberries
10 ounce all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring (YM recommends using a little less for a more natural color)

Lemon Glaze: 
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 muffin pans or mini muffin pans with liners.

To prepare cake, place sliced strawberries in a food processor; process until smooth.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in egg whites. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add pureed strawberries and food coloring; beat just until blended.

Divide batter between muffin pans. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes (less time for minis) or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Place confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in lemon juice until glaze is thick but pourable. Add more sugar to thicken, more lemon juice to thin. Spoon glaze over cooled cupcakes and allow glaze to harden.
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