Thursday, April 21, 2011

Pretty In Pink Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting


I’m sorry I haven’t been to active in the Blog World lately.  I must apologize.  Unfortunately, my dear, sweet 91 year old Mother passed away the first of April.  She was an incredibly wonderful woman.  I loved her dearly and I am going to miss her.  She was a wonderful cook and instilled in me my love of baking.  She always encouraged my baking adventures.  She loved my cupcakes and knew whenever I came home from work and put on my “Cupcake Apron”, I would be baking cupcakes that night.

Here is a wonderful cupcake recipe Mom loved, Pretty In Pink Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting.  I made them for a friend to surprise her husband on his 50th Birthday which was April 1st.  He’s a great, fun loving guy so the “April’s Fool” Birthday suits him. And he loves my Strawberry Cupcakes!


Pretty In Pink Strawberry Cupcakes
from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson

Makes 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
4 egg whites
2/3 cup pureed fresh strawberries
1 1/3 cups buttermilk

Directions:
1.  In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
2.  In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter until well combined.  Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add pureed strawberries, mixing well.  Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating just until smooth.
3.  Scoop batter into prepared pan lined with cupcake papers.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.  Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack.  Top cooled cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting.



Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1 lb. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 lb. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup white shortening (such as Crisco)
1 lb. powdered sugar
2/3 cup pureed fresh strawberries (if not in season, use strawberry jam)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon strawberry flavoring
Dash of salt

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip the butter, cream cheese and shortening for 5 minutes. Set a timer, do not under beat. Gradually add the powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the pureed strawberries, vanilla, strawberry flavoring and salt and mix until combined. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes using a decorative tip.  Decorate with your favorite sprinkles or a slice of fresh strawberry.

The frosting can be used right away or stored in the refrigerator up to a week.



These are a delightful taste of spring.
Enjoy!
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11 comments:

  1. Great to see you again. Thanks for the wonderful post. I made a biscuit/scone with strawberries and cream. Love those. I've never used strawberry flavoring or made strawberry cupcakes. Very interesting twist.

    Happy Weekend :-)

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  2. I am so so sorry to read about your mom and also sorry that I missed the opening paragraph. My bad. I saw the strawberries and cream and went straight for the food.

    Sending you healing thoughts. Will be thinking of you a lot this week.

    PS: I lost my grandpa on the first of April a few years back.

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  3. Hello. I am so sorry to hear you lost your Mom. It is the hardest thing I have ever been through. I have to tell you some things about myself... I found your blog in February and became immediatelty addicted. I check daily for any new post. I was very concerned when I hadn't seen any new post since St. Patty's. I thought you might have stopped blogging :( I am glad that is not the case. My name is also Linda Jean... my Mom used to call me Linny Jean. She also instilled in me a love for baking and she was an excellent cook. I adored her. She was the greatest woman in the world to me. I was very blessed that God chose her to be my Mom...as I was adopted. When I saw your post this morning I felt the urge to reply and introduce myself... it isn't often that I run across someone with my same name.... which was the first thing that jumped out at me when I found you wonderful blog.
    Sincerely,
    Linda Jean (Linny) :)

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  4. These are so wonderful sounding and great looking! I love strawberry cake and this captures the essence of that recipe.

    So sorry to hear of your mom. Our great aunt, Aunt Mary, is gravely ill and will pass away this week. She is 90 years old and has lived a blessed and happy life yet it is always sad for family and loved ones.

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  5. Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts. I really appreciate it.

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  6. Hi, Frosted! I wanted to tell you that on Saturday I made your cupcakes but since my Publix didn't have Strawberry Extract, I had to improvise. I bought a Duncan Hines Strawberry cake mix but substituted pureed strawberries for the water the mix called for then baked the rest as directed. They turned out really delicous -- used your icing recipe less the extract and it was a smash of lucious creaminess. thanks for the inspiration ;-) J

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  7. Hi....I'm really sorry for your mom.... I couldn't image how sad it is now your heart...anyway...she's always with you, even when you bake your wonderful cupcakes....she's baking Heaven cupcakes...hugs and blessings from a new friend, ciao Flavia

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  8. Hi Jill, So glad you were inspired and your cupcakes turned out delicious. Strawberry flavoring is difficult to find. I buy mine at a Bakery supply store here in Utah. And I know you can find it online. Keep baking!

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  9. Just found your blog, some great recipe's on here! Thanks for sharing them. I made the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting with some cupcakes last night. They were great! Went down a treat with my niece.

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  10. Thank you An English Cupcake for your kind comment. I checked out your website and your cakes and cupcakes are gorgeous!

    Enjoy!

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  11. What iceing tip did you use???

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