Chocolatey Strawberry Cupcakes

I mean....come on! Do I really need to say anything else? Ok fine I will. These rich chocolate cupcakes are topped with a fluffy white chocolate buttercream, filled with strawberry jam and topped with a strawberry reduction.

 Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup milk (i used skim but you can use whichever percent you wish)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp white vinegar

Frosting:

2 sticks butter (softened)

2 cups confectioners sugar

6 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled

2 tbsp milk

Filling/Topping
1 pint strawberries, trimmed and diced into small pieces * set aside a few whole strawberries to slice for garnish
2 tbsp sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl mix together all ingredients for cupcakes until well blended with no lumps. Pour batter into cupcake baking cups and fill 3/4 of the way. Bake until cupcakes are firm, about 20-25 min. Place onto a cooling rack and allow to cool for 20 min.

2. For frosting, add butter to mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachmentm and beat on medium speed. Add confectioners sugar and beat until fluffy, 2 min. Slowly add melted white chocolate and milk. Beat on high speed until creamy and fluffy, 3 min., scraping down sides of the bowl to make sure all sugar is incorporated.

3. For filling, add strawberries and sugar to a small saucepan. Saute on medium heat until strawberries begin to break down and get soft, about 10-15 min. Strain strawberries into a separate bowl and place excess juice back into the saucepan. Heat juice on medium heat and reduce until thick and syrupy, about 5-7 min.

4. Assembly, once cupcakes have cooking remove a small amount of the center of the cupcakes. I use the back of a pastry tip or a small melon baller. Make sure not to go to deep or puncture through the cupcake. Fill each center with about a tsp of filling. Frost cupcakes and drizzle with strawberry reduction and garnish with a sliced strawberry.