Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners. Set aside.

Add fresh strawberries to a food processor and purée. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine all purpose flour (2 cups), white granulated sugar (1 cup), baking soda (1 tsp), and salt (0.5 tsp).

Add strawberry puree (1 cup), strawberry extract (2 tsp), canola oil (0.5 cup), white vinegar (1 tbsp), and red food coloring (0.125 tsp) to the dry ingredients. Mix into a batter, being careful not to over-mix.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes. Start 20m timer

Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a cupcake; it should come out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool in the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

To prepare the frosting: Add powdered sugar (4 cups), vegan butter (0.5 cup), strawberry extract (1 tsp), and strawberry puree (2.5 tbsp) to a stand mixer. Start at slow speed, gradually increasing until the frosting is thick and smooth. Add more [strawberry puree] if a thinner consistency is desired.

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe on the frosting and serve.