These pretty strawberry pink cakes will put a smile on all faces this festive season.

Makes 12 medium sized cakes

2 cups plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

100g butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

1 cup sugar,

1 egg, plus 2 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup milk

300g strawberries, hulled and cut in half, plus more for garnish

1 Tbsp icing sugar

Icing

1/3 cup strawberry puree

100g butter, softened, cut into small pieces

100g mascarpone cheese

2 cups icing sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Line 12-cup medium sized muffin tins with papers or grease well with butter and flour lightly; set aside.

Place the strawberries and icing sugar into a food processor and blitz until a coarse puree occurs. Remove 1/3 cup of the puree as this will be used in your icing. With the remaining strawberry puree add the milk and mix.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.

Beat in whole egg until well incorporated and then add the whites beating well then add vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and strawberry mixture; beat until combined just combined after each addition as you don’t want to over mix this mixture.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared tins so that each is about two-thirds full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden in colour and a skewer comes out clean (about 20 minutes).  Cool then remove from tins.

Meanwhile make the icing by beating the softened butter until very light and creamy, add the icing sugar and beat once again until light in colour.  Add the mascarpone and combine.  Lastly beat in the strawberry puree.

Chill until required.

Once the cup cakes are completely cool either generously apply the pink icing on top of each cake or if you are feeling fancy pipe it on and decorate with a little more strawberry.