Prepare the Strawberry Powder: Add 1 oz of freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor and process until finely powdered. Drape a kitchen towel over the processor while it runs to help keep the lightweight strawberry powder from escaping. This should produce about ½ cup of powder; reserve ¼ cup for the cupcakes 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 the prepared pan aside.
Combine the Dry Ingredients: Place ¼ cup of strawberry powder in a small mixing bowl with the flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk thoroughly so the ingredients are evenly distributed, then set 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 and gently fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing once the flour has been incorporated.
Portion the Cupcakes: Use a large ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners. Use one level scoop per cavity, approximately ¼ cup of batter for each cupcake.
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 let them cool until they are comfortable to handle. Transfer them from the muffin pan to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
Soften the Frosting Ingredients: Bring the cream cheese and unsalted butter to room temperature until softened before beginning the frosting. Cutting them into small cubes can help speed up the softening process.
Whip the Butter Mixture: Place the softened butter, softened cream cheese, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, mix at medium-low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high, until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
Add the Dry Frosting Ingredients: Stop the mixer and add the powdered sugar and remaining ¼ cup of strawberry powder. Mix on low speed first to incorporate the powdered ingredients 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 finished frosting. Pipe the frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes.
