Angie's Famous Strawberry Cupcakes

I believe these cupcakes were pretty popular on the What's Cooking board on thenest.com...so I took my chance to make them for my sisters birthday party, and I'm just now getting around to blogging them. I found them on Katie's food blog.


Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. sugar (or a little less)
2 eggs
1/3 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. chopped strawberries

Frosting:
1/4 c. strawberries
1 Tbsp. strawberry liquor (found at liquor stores, duh...not Publix.....)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 Tbsp vanilla

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cupcake pans.
-Sift flour, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl.
-In bowl of mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
-Add eggs one at a time until combined.
-Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla until combined.
-Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.
-Fold in berries.
-Fill cupcake pans 3/4 way.
-Bake for 20 minutes.
-For frosting, put berries, liquor, and juice in saucepan.
-Bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce to a simmer for 5 mins.
-Let cool then blend until smooth.
-In bowl of mixer mix cream cheese and butter until creamy.
-Add sugar, then vanilla.
-Add berry puree until smooth.
-Frost cupcakes when they are completely cooled.

SATC Sexy Cupcakes

These Cupcakes are from none other than the Magnolia Bakery that the SATC (Sex and the City) girls ate in Season 3 a NYC landmark. I was lucky enough to be able to make these at work for the guys and b/c our salesman had sold his first machines, and I told him I would bake him cupcakes. So I thought I would try these...and it goes as follows....

Cupcakes

1 1/2 c. self-rising flour

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 c. sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 c. milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. In a small bowl combine flours and set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts alternating with milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over-beat Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Icing

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6-8 c confectioners sugar

1/2 c milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need all of the sugar. If desired add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (I used yellow) (Use and store icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.