Happy Birthday, Lani!

This past week was rather busy for me in the kitchen. The first important thing to get ready for was Lani's birthday on July 3rd. We were going out to dinner to Bella's (yum... spaghetti and meatballs!) and then out for some drinks and fun. I offered to bring a surprise dessert for her. Her and I had talked about making them several times, so I knew I wanted to give it a whirl for her. I made Angie's Famous Strawberry Cupcakes from Katie's blog Good Things Catered. As in almost everything else I make, I was so nervous that they wouldn't be good but they got a great response so I was happy about that. On some of them, I used the strawberry cream cheese frosting that the recipe called for and on the other half, I used regular cream cheese frosting (which I preferred).

Angie's Famous Strawberry Cupcakes

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

1/4 c. strawberries

1 Tbsp. strawberry liquor

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.