Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners or grease the cups with butter or nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla on high speed for about 3 minutes or until mixture is well combined and thick. Add butter and oil and beat on high until well combined; scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula and mix for another minute.

Reduce the speed to low and add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and then 1/2 of the milk. Add another 1/3 of dry ingredients and remaining milk. Add remaining dry ingredients and remove from mixer immediately.

Use a spatula to incorporate any dry ingredients that have are not fully combined; distribute batter evenly among cupcake cups with a ladle or ice cream scoop.

Bake in center of oven for 13-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool for several minutes and then remove from tin and place on cooling rack; set aside and prepare buttercream.

For the buttercream:

Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed for several minutes until butter is light and creamy. Add jelly and beat on high speed for 1 minute; scrape the sides of the bowl and beat for an additional minute.

Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined; increase speed of mixer to high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy.

Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes as desired.

(Recipe for Yellow Cupcakes from Food and Wine.)