Summer Strawberry Delight!

Today, I was stranded at home with both of my parents at work, and I am too young to drive,so I was unable to make my daily trip to the grocery store. :( Therefore, I had to work with what was available in the kitchen. After some rummaging through the refrigerator, and discarding food items with a bad expiration date, I came to the conclusion we had butter, milk, eggs, cream cheese, and strawberries. I then, scurried up to my room and hastily flipped through all of my cookbooks and devised a concoction of my own, *dramatic pause*,the summer strawberry delight!!!!! I felt the vanilla cupcake went well with the tangy sweetness of cream cheese frosting, and the gelatin consistency that went along with the strawberry topping made it an ideal summer recipe! I gathered my building blocks for this recipe from Shelly Kaldunski's, Cupcakes and the Taste of Home's Grand Prize Winners food magazine. I hope you enjoy the sweet and succulent strawberry dessert!

 Vanilla Cupcakes, Cream Cheese Frosting, and Strawberry topping, before assembling dessert.

I used fresh strawberries, making these delicious cupcakes perfect for a sweltering summer day!

Adding the strawberry topping! 

The strawberry summer delights: FINAL PRODUCT!!! :)

                                           

Summer Strawberry Delight

Vanilla Cupcake:

(from the cookbook, Cupcakes)

- 1 and 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour

- 1 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder

- 1/4 tsp. salt

- 3/4 cup of sugar

- 6 tbsp. of butter

- 1 large egg and 1 large egg white

- 1 tsp. vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup of whole milk

 Cream Cheese Frosting:

(from the cookbook, Cupcakes)

- 12 oz. of cream cheese 

- 6 tbsp. of unsalted butter

- 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract

- 1 cup of confectioner's sugar

Strawberry Topping:

(from the Taste of Home's Grand Prize Winners food magazine)

- 1/2 cup of sugar

- 2 tbsp. of cornstarch

- 3/4 cup of water

- 1 tsp. of strawberry extract

-  Red Food Coloring

-  1 tbsp. of lemon juice (I freshly squeezed a lemon)

-  16 oz. of sliced fresh strawberries

To make the Cupcake...
1) Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. These are your dry ingredients.
2) Mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy(make sure the butter is room temperature!)
3) Add eggs and vanilla extract. Mix well.
4) Now, add your dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk.
5) Fill a muffin pan with twelve cupcake holders, and batter.
6) Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Farenheight until lightly browned.


To make the Frosting...
1) Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
2) Sift the confectioner's sugar into the bowl, and beat in as well.


To make the Strawberry Topping...
1) Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan.
2) Stir in water and lemon juice.
3) Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, or until it reaches a thick consistency. Cook for about 1 minute.
4) Stir in extract and food coloring.
5) Add strawberries.
6) Cool before spreading over cupcakes.


ENJOY!!! :)