Simple Home Living: OOOhhhhh......Cupcakes

Indulging in sweets is something I must fight against doing because invariably, those sweet little somethings show up somewhere I really don't want them to.

And, yet in all honestly, periodically, I just must have a sweet little something - something chocolaty like a cupcake.

For some irrational reason I can rationalize the OK-ness of eating a "small" cupcake over a "piece" of cake. And, in light of that irrational rationalization, I'm always on the look out for those sweet little somethings.

My mom knows that, so she sent me this clip today highlighting Cupcakes Actually, a sweet little cupcakery in Fairfax, VA who unashamedly admit they are total cupcakes snobs!

Here's their highlighted recipe for Strawberry Fields

(approximately 30 Cupcakes)

Cake:

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter (room temperature)
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup of canola oil
3/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup Self Rising Flour
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup fresh strawberry puree

Cream butter until it is light and fluffy.
Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.
Add oil and continue mixing until it is all combined.
Add eggs gradually so that they mix into butter evenly.
Combine milk and vanillaand slowly add to mixture.
Sift flour and mix until combined.
Scrape bowl and mix completely.
Add strawberry puree mixing thoroughly and scrape.
Bake 10 minutes then turn.
Bake 5 more minutes and test.

Strawberry Buttercream

Ingredients:

4 ounces fine-quality white chocolate3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter (room temperature cut into 2 inch pieces)
6 tablespoons water3/4 cup sugar
3 large egg whites3/4 cup fresh strawberry puree

Place white chocolate in double boiler and heat until completely melted.
Let white chocolate come to room temperature.
Put water insaucepan placing sugar on top.
Cook on stove using a candy thermometer.
When sugar mixture reaches 220 degrees start whisking egg whites on high speed until they reach a medium peak.
When sugar reaches 242 degrees (softball stage), turn merengue down to medium speed and slowly drizzle sugar mixture making sure that it doesn't hit the whisk.
Continue beating at medium speed until mixture is at room temperature.
Add butter piece by piece until well combined.
Add the white chocolate and beat until well incorporated.
Add strawberry puree and mix until incorporated, scraping the bottom.