Strawberry Cupcakes & Exciting News

So this post is a little late, but better late than never right? Last Sunday for ward break-the-fast, I made strawberry cupcakes. I thought it would be fun to do something summery and that would go perfectly with some cute liners I had. 

I found the cupcake recipe on the blog Plant Food Fabulous and it was actually adapted from Martha Stewart's website, who got it from Candace Nelson of SPRINKLES (the first Cupcakery ever!) I knew it was going to be good. I also used the frosting recipe that went along with it. Now I'm going to share them with you.

Strawberry Cupcakes

3 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks of butter, softened

2 1/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 egg white

1 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups finely chopped strawberries

Preheat the oven to 350º. 

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium size bowl. Set aside.

In the mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if you need to. Add the vanilla extract. 

With the mixer on low add about a third of the flour,  half of the milk, a third of the flour, the rest of the milk, then the rest of the flour. Basically 3 batches of the flour with milk in between. Mix each addition until combined. 

Stir in the strawberries by hand. Fill cupcake tins, with liners, 3/4 full. This recipe makes about 30 cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes, or until testers come out clean.

Strawberry Frosting 

(yields enough for 1 dozen so I doubled it and had enough)

1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed (I used fresh)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold

Pinch of coarse salt (I used regular salt)

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. 
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• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. 
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• • Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. 
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• • • Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. 
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• • • Do not over mix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.
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• • • I didn't manage to take a picture of them because I was still frosting them until the last minute. I wish I had, they looked really good. They were such a hit (When are they not?). People were grabbing them before they were even set down on the table, which was a smart move because they disappeared fast. I pity those that didn't get one. James (the other Oregonian) wanted a second one, but he said he saw a guy eyeing the last one from across the room and decided to let him have it. I think I caught a glimpse of the eyeing and I believe that it would have been that person's second cupcake too. Lucky him for being the only person to get more than one.
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• • • In other cupcake related news, I have been asked to make cupcakes for a friend's wedding open house in January! I'm so excited because it's like my first real cupcake job, except I'm not being paid. We're all about service in our church. I'm a little sad because it is kind of a big job and it does cost money, but Marjorie said she'd be willing to split the cost with me and even help me make them. Consider it your wedding present Beth & Cody. I'm hoping this could lead to other potential jobs and some friends in the ward know to come to me if they want cupcakes at any family events or birthday parties.