Raspberry Cupcakes with Pink Buttercream

Spring is here and I decided to celebrate with Raspberry Cupcakes.  I fell in love with them on Marthastewart.com.  They were all girlie with pink frosting and topped with a chocolate heart that I never got to trying before delivering the little cakes around town.

These cupcakes are bursting with fresh raspberries and the raspberry puree makes them extra moist.  They are perfect for spring, possibly even Easter.

Raspberry Cupcakes with Pink Buttercream
Adapted from Martha Stewart online
Makes 2 dozen.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 containers (6 ounces each) raspberries, 1 container pureed, 1 container coarsely chopped
Gel-paste food coloring, in Tulip Red (optional; sugarcraft.com)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with baking cups.

Whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar in a slow, steady stream, and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl, and beat until smooth.

Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in pureed and chopped raspberries and a small drop of food coloring.

Divide batter among baking cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks for 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes, and let cool completely.

Decorate with pink buttercream.

Pink Buttercream
Makes about 5 cups.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
5 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
4 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, softened
Gel-paste food coloring, in Tulip Red (sugarcraft.com)

Directions

Whisk sugar, egg whites, and salt in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water until sugar dissolves and syrup registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Transfer bowl to mixer, and whisk sugar syrup on medium speed for 5 minutes. Raise speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in food coloring.