Funfetti Cupcakes with Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Today, I totally felt like stalker mom. I watched Riley at daycare for a while. I checked back in a lot. Why do I do this? I feel guilty enough that I'm sitting at home while she's at daycare. Doing paperwork about people.

People who smoke and won't stop. Isn't that funny? Some people radically (woo big word) change their lives and some people smoke till the end. And the end is in sight, let me tell you. It's not like *poof* and they're gone. They've had fair warning, ignored the signs.

Totally depressing, what's wrong with me? I'm talking about funfetti cupcakes with strawberry swiss meringue buttercream! Way to cheer everyone up! I hope this cupcake recipe now cheers you up. Now that I've totally ruined your night and made you depressed. So, sorry for that, and go make cupcakes. K? K.

Funfetti Cupcakes

6 tbl salted butter at room temp 

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg 

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup plus 2 tbl milk

1/4 cup confetti stars or sprinkles

Preheat the oven on to 375 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the egg and beat until combined. Add the vanilla extract, baking powder, flour, and milk. Beat until smooth and no lumps remain (or as the recipe said "until it looks right"). Add the sprinkles/stars/whateveryourusing and beat into the batter. Pour into cupcake pan 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Source: Adapted from Amy Sedaris via Epicurious

Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2 large egg whites
1/2 cup plus 2 tbl granulated sugar
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbl) salted butter, softened, cut into small pieces

 3/4 cup pureed strawberries

Place egg whites and sugar in a heatproof stand mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer (if you feel a little bit of the mixture between your fingers and it's smooth i.e. you don't feel any grittiness, it's done).

Remove from heat, and attach bowl to a mixer. Whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking well after each addition.

Switch to a paddle attachment. With mixer on low, add strawberry puree, and beat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Use immediately, or cover, and refrigerate.

Source: Adpated from Martha Stewart