Strawberry Lemonade Olive Oil Cupcakes

Instructions

• Make the candied lemon: Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Thinly slice the lemon into rounds, about ⅛–¼-inch-thick, removing the seeds.
• In a medium shallow skillet, combine the water and granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, 3–4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the lemon slices to the syrup, and simmer until the flesh of the lemons begins to turn translucent, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer the lemon slices to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 18 muffin tin cups with paper liners.
• Make the cupcakes: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder.
• In a medium bowl, combine the butter, strawberry purée, and olive oil. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until lightened in color and fluffy.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on medium-low speed until just combined.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites, milk, and red food coloring.
• Add the egg white mixture to the batter and mix on medium-low speed until smooth.
• Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ of the way.
• Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Make the lemon buttercream: In a large bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, salt, vanilla, lemon juice, and powdered sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer on low speed until smooth. Transfer to a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off or a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
• Pipe the buttercream on top of the cupcakes. Garnish with the candied lemon wheels and sliced strawberries.
• Enjoy!