With spring break next week and Easter right around the corner, why not make a nice treat for your family and friends. Everybody loves cupcakes and these cupcakes are quick, easy, and quite cute! With one trip to the grocery store and a kitchen you are set to make these tasty treats.
Cupcakes
1 (18.25-ounce) package butter recipe yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup water
3 Eggs
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
4 to 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup orange marmalade
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cups into 24 muffin pan cups; set aside.
Combine all cupcake ingredients in large bowl. Beat at low speed 30 seconds. Increase speed to high; beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
Fill each prepared muffin cup 2/3 full. Bake for 16 to 19 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove to wire cooling rack. Cool completely.
Combine 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese in large bowl. Beat at high speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add 4 cups powdered sugar and marmalade. Beat until well mixed. Increase speed to high; beat until creamy, adding additional powdered sugar for desired spreading consistency.
Frost cooled cupcakes. Decorate as desired to create flowers. Store covered in refrigerator.
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Cupcakes
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 tsp each baking powder and baking soda
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
11⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
⅔ cup sour cream
Topping
1 quart strawberries, hulled, thickly sliced
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
11⁄2 cups cold heavy cream
3 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Cupcakes: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl with mixer on medium, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. With mixer on low, alternately beat in flour mixture and sour cream until combined. Continue to beat on medium until batter is thick and smooth.
2. Spoon batter into a Ziploc bag. Snip a 1⁄2-inch corner from the bag and fill the liners slightly less than two-thirds full. Bake 24 to 26 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack five minutes; remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely.
3. Topping: Toss strawberries several times in a bowl with sugar and lemon juice until very syrupy. In a large bowl, beat cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
4. Use a skewer to poke several holes into top of each cupcake. Spoon some syrup from bowl over top, allowing it to absorb into cupcakes. Top with sliced berries and a dollop of cream. Arrange a few sliced berries in cream and drizzle with remaining strawberry syrup.
–Gabrielle Henwood, The Patriot Press