Wednesday, 18 May 2011

• Cupcakes For My New Cake Plate!

  

  I love, love, love surprises!  My boyfriend made my day by showing up with one of the cutest kitchen accessories a foodie girl could imagine: a cake plate!  I had been in the market for one for the longest time and wasn’t too impressed with what I was seeing.  That was until I saw this magnificent piece of art.  It is the Food Network Cake Plate Set from Kohl’s.  What sets it apart from all the others is that it is made of glass.  What an absolutely perfect way to present and store your best homemade treats?

  Without a doubt, I just had to bake something to put in it.

  
  Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

  A vanilla cake, filled with balsamic strawberries, topped with rich chocolate icing

  For the cake:

  Ingredients:

  1 cup white sugar

  1/2 cup butter

  2 eggs

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

  1/2 cup milk

  Directions:
  

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
  

  2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
  

  3. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch

  For the strawberries:

  Ingredients:

  6 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced (2 cups reserved)
  
  1 1/4 cups sugar
  
  3 tbsp cornstarch
  
  2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  
  Directions:
  
  1. Combine all of the ingredients (minus 2 cups reserved strawberries) in a large saucepan.

  2. Cook over medium heat 12-14 minutes until it thickens and begins to boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

  3. Transfer mixture to a glass bowl and cool for 15-20 minutes. Stir in reserved strawberries.

  

  For the chocolate icing:

  Ingredients:

  ¼ cup butter

  ¼ cup cocoa powder

  2 cups powdered sugar

  3 tbsp. milk

  Directions:

  1. Beat the butter and cocoa powder together.  Add in the milk.

  2. Slowly add in powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

  3. If you want the icing more chocolatey, add in more cocoa powder and adjust the milk, if needed

  To assemble: Cut out a little hole in the cake before piping the strawberries inside.  Frost generously :)

  Enjoy!

  What is your favorite kind of cupcake?

  Image Source

  Image Source

  • 8:33 PM
  • 1991 Views
  • 10 eProps
  • 5 Comments