Strawberry Rhubarb Cupcakes!!!

A few months ago, I wanted to make a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie to use up my Rhubarb supply, BUT....I didn't want to spend the time making pastry...too putsy on hot summer days. I went online for ways to use Rhubarb, and nothing was screaming out to me...I wanted to make cupcakes...so then the thought came to me and I thought GENIUS...Strawberry Rhubarb Cupcakes!!! I created something that will fly off the cake plate!!! I hope you decide to make these and enjoy!!!
The first step is to make a Rhubarb Compote:
1/4 cup Water
3 Stalks of Rhubarb, sliced
1/2 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1. Chop up Rhubarb and put into a saucepan with sugar and water over.
2. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes...breaking the rhubarb up. 3. Allow to cool completely before filling your cupcakes.

Next, make your cupcakes:
1/2 cup Butter at Room Temp
3/4 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Milk
1/3 cup Water
1-1/2 cup Flour
2-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
3 Egg Whites

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line cupcake liners in a muffin tin.
2. Sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Mix Milk and Water in a measuring cup and set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar over slow-medium speed until light and fluffy.
5. Alternately add flour mixture with water mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
6. Add Vanilla.
7. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. 8. Gently fold in egg whites to batter until white disappears.
9. Use an ice cream scoop to fill your cupcake liners...
10. Cool completely before filling and frosting cupcakes!

Note: This makes exactly 12 if filling 3/4...just double or triple recipe to fit your number of mouths to feed!!!
For the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:
1-1/4 c. Powder Sugar1/2 c. Butter at room temp1 Tlbs. Vanilla
1/2 cup Chopped Fresh Strawberries1 Tlbs. Half & Half1. Cream butter till fluffy.2. Add powder sugar and Vanilla.3. Add Strawberries & Cream and mix until smooth and desired consistency. (For thinner consistency, add 1 Tlbs. of Half & Half.)

To assemble cupcakes:
1. Cut holes in the top of each cupcake.
2. Fill with Rhubarb Compote.
3. Frost cupcakes to desired look.
4. Eat and Enjoy!!!