Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting

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Start to finish: 40 minutes
Makes: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients
For the cake:

2½ cups cake flour (can substitute all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon extract
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup whole milk

For the whipped cream frosting:
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons flavorless powdered gelatin
4 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons strawberry powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Method
For the cake:
Heat oven to 350 F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest until combined.

Stir in about half the flour mixture. Then, stir in the milk and the rest of the flour mixture, and mix until fully combined. The batter will be thin.

Pour about ¼ cup batter into each cupcake liner. (They should be about halfway full.)

Bake 18–22 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

For the whipped cream frosting:
Add the water to a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin on top. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Transfer the gelatin mixture to the microwave and microwave for 5–10 seconds, until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir the mixture, and set aside to cool slightly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, combine heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, strawberry powder and vanilla extract. Whip the mixture until it starts to thicken and soft peaks form. Then, turn the mixer to low speed. Slowly pour in the gelatin mixture and mix on low until well combined. Increase the mixer to medium speed and continue mixing until stiff peaks form. (If the gelatin mixture thickens too much before adding it to the whipped cream, put it back in the microwave for 3–5 seconds. It should be a pourable consistency, but not warm to touch.)

To assemble: 
Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, transfer the strawberry whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip, and pipe swirls on each cupcake.