Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberry Sauce:
2 cups chopped strawberries
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

• Blend strawberries and sugar until smooth. Pour it through a sieve to remove the seeds and some of the pulp.  
• Pour the strawberry puree into a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until purée thickens.  Add in lemon juice and stir to combine.  Cook until the purée is reduced down to 1/2 cup or slightly less. Set aside the strawberry reduction sauce to cool.
  [You'd need 60ml for the cupcakes and 3 tbsp for the frosting]

Cupcakes:

(A)
200g unsalted butter, softened

80g caster sugar

4 egg yolks, room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

200g self-raising flour
60ml strawberry sauce

red food colouring (optional)

(B)
4egg whites, room temperature 

80g caster sugar

• Preheat oven to 170°C.  
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg yolks, one at a time until well combined.  Beat in salt and vanilla extract.
• Fold in flour (in 3 batches) alternating with strawberry sauce, beginning and ending with flour. (Add a drop of red food colouring if desired).
• In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks formed, then gradually beat in sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks formed.
• Fold meringue into egg yolks mixture.
• Divide the batter among the 12 paper liners and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Set the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

110g unsalted butter, softened

220g cream cheese, softened

375g icing sugar

pinch of salt

3 tbsp strawberry sauce
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese for 30 seconds or until combined.  Then add in icing sugar and salt; beat until light and fluffy.  
• Beat in the strawberry sauce and vanilla extract until combined.
• Spread frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Before serving, bring the cakes back to room temperature.