White Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Swiss Buttercream

For the white chocolate cupcakes

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners.
2. In the stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed with the paddle attachment. Scrape down the sides.
3. Add one egg at a time and mix until combined with butter mixture. Scrape down the sides and repeat with each egg.
4. In a saucepan, heat milk on medium heat until small bubbles form on the edges of the pan.
5. In a medium bowl, add the white chocolate chips.
6. Pour the scalded milk into the bowl of white chocolate chips. Let it sit for a moment.
7. Whisk the milk and chocolate chips until they are completely combined. No bits should be in the mixture.
8. In a separate medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
9. Alternately add the dry and wet mixture into the stand mixer bowl. Start with the dry. Beat until incorporated.
10. Then add the wet mixture and beat until mixed thoroughly.
11. Repeat adding the dry and wet mixtures. Be sure to end with the dry mixture.
12. Scoop batter into the cupcake liners. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until they're done.
13. Take out and cool on cooling rack.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

1. In a double boiler, add the egg whites and granulated sugar.
2. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. This is when the egg whites reach about 160 degrees.
3. Pour into the stand mixer bowl, and whip with a whisk attachment on high. The meringue needs to come to stiff peaks. If you turn the whisk upside down and the peak stands straight up, you've reached the stiff peak stage.
4. Add in the sifted powdered sugar and mix until combined.
5. Add all at once the shortening and butter. Beat until it all comes together. It will thicken up at this point. If the mixture looks like it curdled, keep mixing. It will come back together.

Strawberry Compote

1. In a saucepan, add the strawberries and sugar. Put over medium heat.
2. Mix the strawberries and sugar until the juices start to flow.
3. Stir occasionally.
4. The process can take 10-15 minutes. Smash the berries against the sides of the pan to help the juice.
5. The compote will only have bits and pieces of strawberries left when it's done.
6. At this point, you can strain the chunks out or mix them into the buttercream. I choose to leave mine in.
7. I mixed the strawberry compote in with about 4 cups of swiss buttercream.