strawberry streusal cupcakes

We have one more week of strawberries from the farm. It's a bit bittersweet, since we've really enjoyed the fresh strawberries. But looking on the bright side, that means we'll be getting some other different farm fresh goodies soon. I wonder what we'll be getting next.

I came across this recipe on a fellow blogger's page. It was different from what I've seen or made in the past. The little cakes came out beautifully. The sweet crumbly topping went well with the moist ( and not-very-sweet) cake.

strawberry streusal cupcakes
adapted from happy love

crumb ingredients:

• 1/3 c. dark brown sugar
• 1/3 c. caster sugar
• zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 3/4 c. plain flour 
• 1 tsp strawberry extract

crumbs directions: 

1. in a large bowl, whisk sugars, lemon zest and salt into melted butter until smooth. 
2. then, add flour with a spatula or wooden spoon. it will look and feel like a solid dough. leave it pressed together in the bottom of the bowl and set aside.

cake ingredients:

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 c. plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1 c. strawberry puree

cake directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. 
3. beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. scrape down side and bottom of bowl. reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture, and sour cream alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour, until just combined. add in strawberry puree and extract and mix until just combined.
4. divide batter into muffin cups.
5. using your fingers, break topping mixture into big crumbs. sprinkle over muffins. bake until a wooden pick inserted into cakes comes out clean, 13-17 mins. cool in pan 30 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely, crumb side up.