Valentines Day II Chocolate Strawberry

This is a cupcake from our February Baking Battle. In light of the day of love, Remi and I had aphrodisiac flavor combos. This recipe didnt win, but still tasted delectable. A moist chocolate cake filled with a strawberry filling and frosted with my sinful chocolate frosting, this cupcake is a seductions itself. Enjoy =]




Chocolate Cupcake- makes 24


Ingredients

1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

3/8 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups flour

1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/8 teaspoons baking soda

¾ teaspoons salt

½ tablespoon vanilla extracts

¾ cup milk

¾ cup water

¾ cups cocoa powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake tins

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the brown sugar and oil. Turn on the mixer to a low speed and mix in the eggs. Let the sugar, oil, and eggs mix while sifting together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Set this mixture aside.

In another small bowl, mix the vanilla into the milk and set this aside as well. Bring the water to a milk and pour over the cocoa and whisk it until it is smooth. To the egg mixture, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture beginning and ending with flour. With the mixer off, scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. With the mixture at a low speed add the cocoa. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour this mixture into the tins. Bake the cupcakes for approximately 15 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Strawberry Filling- makes about 3 cups

Ingredients

1 pkg (16 ounces) frozen sliced strawberries , packed in sugar and thawed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

Drain strawberries; reserving liquid. Add enough water to liquid to equal 1 1/4 cups. In large saucepan, combine strawberry liquid, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; mix well. Heat and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Cool completely. Stir strawberries into the cooled mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use.  

***Chocolate Frostings- you can find this recipe in the Valentines Day I cupcakes

Valentines Day Cupcakes 1

Happy Valentines day everyone! Remi is my valentine this year haha. For this holiday, I really got into the spirit and made a white cake that I colored into red, pink and white. Chocolate, as the yummiest aphrodisiac, was used as the frosting. The cake is light and airy, not too sweet, which goes amazingly well with the richness of the chocolate fudge frosting. Enjoy =]


White Cupcakes-

Makes 24

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self rising)
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons milk
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 3/4 cup sugar
5 large egg white, room temp
Red food coloring

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cupcake tines with paper liners. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Stir in the vanilla extract into the milk. Set aside
2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and the sugar and until pale and creamy. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Beat until combined
3. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Do not over mix. Fold the eggs whites into the batter in three parts. 
4. Divide the batter evenly into 3 bowls. Add the red food coloring to one bowl to get a light pink color. Add the red food coloring to the second bowl to get a red color (or as close as you can get to red). Leave the last bowl white.
5. You can use the colors in any order you like. Use about 1 tablespoon of each batter in the tins, and layer the colors over each other. 
6. Bake the cupcakes for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting-

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp

2 1/4 cups sifted confectioners sugar

3/4 (+) cup sifter cocoa powder

3-4 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch of salt

Directions

1. Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Sift together the sugar and cocoa powder, gradually adding it to the butter. 
2. Add in the milk, vanilla extract, and salt
3. Mix until creamy. Add more milk if the consistency is too thick
4. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes in any design