Strawberry Limeade Mini Cupcakes

I'm so sad because I don't have an individual picture of these cupcakes. They were a party favorite and I will definitely be making these in the future. The original recipe makes regular sized cupcakes. I made a third of the recipe which equaled around 20 mini-cupcakes. I wish I had made more!

Strawberry Limeade Cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
1 cup cake flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1/3 cup sugar
2 T plus 4 tsp limeade concentrate
1 egg
1/4 cup milk

For the lime syrup:
1/4 cup limeade concentrate
2 T plus 2 tsp confectioners’ sugar

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two mini-muffin pans with paper liners.

In a medium bowl combine the cake flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed. Add in the limeade concentrate and mix to incorporate. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. Add in the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix ingredients just long enough to incorporate but no longer.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for about 7-9 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack over wax paper to cool completely.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, whisk together the limeade concentrate and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl to make the lime syrup. Poke several holes in the top of each cupcake with a skewer and pour the syrup over the cupcakes, allowing it to soak in.
Frost cooled cupcakes (recipe below). Garnish with lime slices and strawberry slices, if desired.

Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Icing:
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temp (=5 T plus 1 tsp.)
1 and 1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup finely chopped strawberries
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Beat butter and 1/3 cup powdered sugar on medium speed for 1 minute. Add vanilla and strawberries and beat for 1 minute. Adding 1/3 cup at a time, add the remaining powdered sugar.