Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with liners, setting the stage for your cupcake masterpieces.
In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt. This ensures everything is well-mixed and eliminates lumps.
In a large glass measuring cup, combine the milk, half-and-half, and vanilla. This mixture will add moisture and flavor to the batter.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat for about 2 to 5 minutes or until the mixture appears creamy and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate everything evenly.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the wet ingredients in two additions. Mix each addition just until combined, ensuring a smooth batter.
Let the batter rest for about 15 minutes. This allows the ingredients to meld together nicely.
Stir the batter gently and distribute it evenly among the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.
Bake the cupcakes for around 20 minutes or until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs attached.
Once baked, let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
For the frosting, place the strawberries in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer the puree to a small saucepan and simmer, stirring frequently until reduced by half, yielding about 1/3 cup. Refrigerate this until cooled.
Beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, followed by half of the cooled strawberry puree.
Beat in another cup of confectioners' sugar and then the remaining strawberry puree. Add vanilla and mix well.
Finally, taste the frosting and adjust sweetness by adding more confectioners' sugar as needed. If it’s too thick, you can thin it with a bit of milk or half-and-half.
