Sprinkle's Strawberry Cupcakes

This recipe for delicious strawberry cupcakes is from Candace Nelson of Sprinkles Cupcakes.

The Martha Stewart Show, February Winter 2008

• Yield Makes 1 dozen

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature

• Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

  2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.

  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.

  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

  5. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

  6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

  (for mini cupcakes bake 10 minutes)

Strawberry Frosting
I don't measure too much. Start with 1 stick softened butter. Add powdered sugar (quite a bit), vanilla, strawberry puree and a touch of milk. I just start mixing until it is how I want it.

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

This is the cake I brought to Amanda's dinner. I thought I had already posted this recipe, but I was wrong...sorry for keeping this delight all to myself! Hope you enjoy it!! (The reason the amounts on this recipe are a little strange is because I have halved it. I made the full recipe once and there was waaaaay too much cake with little ice cream. This version I'm posting is the way I make it now).

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 + 1/16 cups cocoa powder

1 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup (a little scant) vegetable oil

1/2 Tablespoon vanilla

3/4 cup very hot water

Ice cream, slightly softened

1/2 cup cream

4 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Grease 13x27 sheet pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk briefly. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix at low speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add the hot water, mixing at low speed just until combined. The batter will be quite thin. Pour into pan. Bake 25-30 minutes.

Let cool in pan. Chill, covered, until ready to build the cake. Cut the cake in two equal halves. Place one piece on a serving platter and spread the ice cream on it all the way to the edges. Place second layer on top. Press down gently. Return to freezer while you make the topping.

In a small saucepan heat the cream to a boil. Pour over chocolate and whisk to make a smooth ganache. Remove the cake from the freezer and quickly spread over the cake.