The strawberry juice adds a natural, delicate colour to the icing but you could just use a drop or two of pink food colouring. Remember you're after a soft tint not technicolour, so tread carefully.
Tips for cupcakes
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature before you start for ease of incorporation. That goes for butter, eggs, milk and other wet ingredients.
- Prepare your moulds by lining with cupcake papers or buttering and flouring before you start.
- Make sure your butter is soft but not melting. Coarsely chop it while it's cold and place in mixing bowl minutes before you start.
- Scrape down sides of your mixing bowl regularly to prevent lumps in the batter.
- Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. If the mixture shows signs of splitting (it'll look grainy), add a tablespoon or two of flour to the mixture and stir to combine before you go any further. A split mixture will result in tough cakes.
- Beat butter and sugar, and eggs, in an electric mixer, but stir in dry ingredients and milk by hand to avoid overworking the mixture.
- Fill moulds to 5mm below tops, unless otherwise specified.
- Bake cakes in centre of oven and turn halfway through cooking time to ensure even baking (except for sponge cakes, where an even oven temperature must be maintained).
- Remove cupcakes baked in paper cases from the moulds and place on a wire rack to cool, to avoid sweating.
- Be patient and let cakes cool before icing or filling.