Prepare the Strawberry Powder: Place 1 oz of freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor and process until finely powdered. Drape a kitchen towel over the food processor while it runs to help prevent the lightweight strawberry powder from escaping. The finished powder should yield about ½ cup; reserve ¼ cup for the cupcake batter and the remaining ¼ cup for the frosting. Prepare the Muffin Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard-size muffin pan with cupcake liners and set it aside.
Combine the Dry Ingredients: Place ¼ cup of the strawberry powder in a small mixing bowl with the flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until the ingredients are evenly distributed, then set the mixture aside.
Puree the Strawberries: Using the same food processor, puree the fresh strawberries until smooth.
Mix the Wet Ingredients: Transfer the strawberry puree to a medium mixing bowl. Add the room-temperature buttermilk, vegetable oil, room-temperature egg, vanilla extract, and optional red food coloring. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined.
Combine the Batter: Add the dry mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients. Fold gently until just combined, taking care not to overmix the batter.
Fill the Cupcake Liners: Use a large ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cavities. Use one flat scoop per cupcake, approximately ¼ cup of batter each.
Bake the Cupcakes: Place the pan on the middle oven rack and bake at 350°F for 16–17 minutes. The cupcakes are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the Cupcakes: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool until comfortable to handle. Remove them from the muffin pan and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Soften the Frosting Ingredients: Bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature so they are softened before mixing. Cutting them into small cubes can help speed up the softening process.
Beat the Cream Cheese Mixture: Place the softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract in the stand mixer bowl. Using the whisk attachment, mix at medium-low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high, until thoroughly combined.
Add the Powdered Ingredients: Stop the mixer and add the powdered sugar and remaining ¼ cup of strawberry powder. Begin mixing on low speed until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the cream mixture, then gradually increase to medium-high and beat until the frosting is thoroughly combined and fluffy.
Add the Moscato: Add up to 3 tablespoons of Pink Moscato and beat until incorporated. Adjust the amount according to your preference, tasting the frosting before adding more.
Pipe the Frosting: Fit a pastry bag with your preferred piping tip and fill it with the prepared frosting. Pipe the frosting over the completely cooled cupcakes.
