It is pretty much the first week that our rhubarb was actually big enough to use. So of course, we needed to make something fun.

Also, they turned out kinda pretty.

Ok, they turned out to be VERY pretty.

Pink frosting helps. But there’s no food coloring here – the best frostings, in my opinion, are fruit frostings. Both because they taste like more than sugar and because the natural color makes them beautiful.

One of the skills I’m most proud of learning is to improvise. I started with a recipe to work with for this post, but as soon as the batter came together I could tell that it needed major help. Rather than being like a cake batter, it was near cookie status. Not good for cupcakes.

More milk, more fat and more baking powder later, they are one of my favorite cupcake recipes of all time.

Now please excuse me, I have some cupcakes to eat.

Here’s what you need.
For the cupcakes:
1 stick (1/2 cup) softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup + 6 Tbps. AP flour
1 3/4 tsp. baking soda
Heavy pinch of salt.
3/4 cup diced rhubarb

Preheat the oven to 375 and line a muffin tin with cupcake papers. Spray a canned nonstick spray or use your fingers to rub the papers in lightly in vegetable oil and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, mixing until combined, and finally add the vanilla, milk and sour cream.

Mix the flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl and then add to the batter with the mixer on low, in 3 or 4 batches. Finally, stir in the rhubarb.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375, then lower the heat to 350 and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

Allow to cool 100 PERCENT COMPLETELY before you frost them. That said, you should start the frosting while they bake.

Here’s what you need for the frosting:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup strawberry rhubarb reduction*
2 Tbsp. heavy cream

*To make the strawberry rhubarb reduction, chop up about 2 cups of rhubarb and 3/4 cup fresh strawberries. Add to a saucepan with about 1 cup water (exact amount isn’t important) and 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Simmer all ingredients for about 15 minutes, using a potato masher to smash the fruits as they soften. After the 15 minutes, strain the mixture and return the syrup (without pulp) to the pan. Continue to simmer until the remaining volume is about 1/4 cup.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, blend half (ish) of the powdered sugar with the butter until they have totally combined. Add in the reduction, cream and remaining powdered sugar and continue to beat on medium speed until the consistency is smooth and uniform. Turn up the speed to high for about five minutes, then chill for about 30 minutes before using. Depending on how your timeline lines up with your muffins being ready to frost, you may need to let it warm up again outside of the fridge before it’s mobile enough to frost with.