• Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine strawberry puree butter and sugar.
• Slowly add in eggs and vanilla (Add food coloring if desired)
• Whisk dry Ingredients together and add into sugar mixture.
• Slowly add milk and stir gently.
• Slowly stir in smashed strawberries.
• Pour batter into a cupcake pan or 9x13 cake pan and bake. A cake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees, or cupcakes for 20 minutes on 350 degrees.
• Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

• Add 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp strawberry puree to a small saucepan.
• Heat mixture over medium-low heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced by about 2/3 to 3 Tbsp, about 10 - 14 minutes (measure and if it isn't quite 3 Tbsp then return and continue to simmer if it's not reduced to correct amount it will make frosting runny).
• Pour reduced puree into a small bowl, then refrigerate until cool
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip unsalted and salted butter until very pale and fluffy (nearly white. Stop and scrape down bowl occasionally throughout entire mixing process).
• Mix in 1 cup powdered sugar, then blend in 3 Tbsp reduced strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and optional red food coloring.
• Add remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and continue to mix until frosting is pale and fluffy, adding an additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar if needed to reach desired consistency.