Real Strawberry Frosting

   1 cup fresh strawberries
    1 cup butter
    1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, divided

Forget cupcakes - for this recipe, you just need a spoon.

1. Place strawberries in a blender; puree until smooth.
2. Transfer strawberry puree to a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, stirring often, until puree is reduced by at least half, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
3. Beat butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until light and fluffy.
4. Beat 1 cup confectioners' sugar into butter until just blended.
5. Beat 2 tablespoons strawberry puree and vanilla extract into butter mixture until just blended.
6. Repeat with 1 cup confectioners' sugar, followed by 2 tablespoons strawberry puree two more times.
7. Beat last 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar into mixture until just blended.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes

 

Super-chocolatey, and the berries are perfect with the unsweetened whipped cream! The dusting of sugar makes for a nice little sweet crunch, with a hint of molasses flavor.

 

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces milk chocolate, roughly chopped
2 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Raw or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
For the toppings:
1 quart strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered (about 3 cups if large

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream

Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the shortcakes: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until sandy. Add the chocolate. Whisk 1 egg, the cream and vanilla in a glass measuring cup; stir into the flour mixture with a fork to make a shaggy dough (there will be some dry bits). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; pat flat until 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 6 rounds with a knife or cookie cutter, using the scraps for the last cake.

Place the rounds on the baking sheet; freeze for 20 minutes. Beat the remaining egg; brush onto the cakes and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until firm, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Meanwhile, make the toppings: Toss half of the strawberries with half of the sugar in a bowl; set aside. Place the other half of each in a saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, mashing with a fork to make a thick puree, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Whip the cream with a mixer until medium peaks form; swirl in the strawberry puree.

Split the shortcakes in half. Layer some of the strawberry cream and reserved fruit on the bottoms; cover with the shortcake tops. Finish with more strawberry cream and the remaining berries.

Lemon Delight Filled Cupcakes

These are delicious filled cupcakes! Sure to hit that lemony spot.

LEMON CUPCAKES

1/3 C butter

1 C sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

2 tsp lemon flavor

3 Tbs lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1/3 C milk

1 1/2 C flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

FILLING

1 lg pkg lemon pudding and pie filling (not instant)

FROSTING

1/3 C cream cheese

1 1/2 C powdered sugar

1 Tbs milk or lemon juice

lemon zest

lemon yellow food coloring (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin cups with paper Liners. Measure out all your Ingredients, and set aside.Using paddle attachment on your mixer, cream butter, sugar, and salt. Add eggs, beat well. Add flavor, juice, zest, & milk. Beat until mixed. Mix together flour, & baking powder, add this to creamed mixture. Mix ONLY until blended, DO NOT OVER BEAT." Spoon batter into 12 paper lined muffin tins, bake for 15-18 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan to cook on wire rack. While cakes are cooling, cook your pie filling and cool. Once cupcakes and filling is cooled, begin to fill. Take a pastry bag or zip lock plastic bag with a decorating large tip. Fill with cooled pie filling. To fill cupcakes, press filling into topside of cupcakes, squeezing about 1 tbs into each. You will cover the small hole with frosting. For frosting, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon juice together with milk, adding a bit more of either to make the right consistency. Add lemon zest. Mix well. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Cake

This is one amazing cake... so soft and delicious! You'll absolutely love it ♥

Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Cake
adapted from Shockingly Delicious

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature (if you use unsalted, add another 1/2 teaspoon of salt)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt
12 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh strawberries, diced

GLAZE
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan and set it aside.

In a bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.

With an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in lemon juice and vanilla extract until incorporated. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt – starting and ending with flour – and mixing just until incorporated. Gently fold strawberries into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 70-75 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool 25 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.

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Red Velvet Swirl Brownies

I can personally attest that these are AMAZING!! Some of the best brownies I've ever had, for sure. They hit both the brownie and the red velvet spot, which makes them double delicious. I'm drooling just thinking about this amazing dessert!!

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for pan
Red Velvet Brownie Layer:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Cream Cheese Layer:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Special equipment: 8 by 8-inch baking pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking pan, and set aside.

Brownie layer: In a saucepan on medium heat melt the butter. Remove the butter to a large bowl and add the sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, salt, food coloring, and vinegar, in that order, mixing between additions. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and stir it into the cocoa mix. Fold in the flour until lightly combined. Stir in the walnuts and pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, saving 1/4 cup of the batter for the top.

Cream cheese layer: Blend together the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Gently spread the cream cheese layer on top of the brownie batter in the pan. Dollop the remaining brownie batter over the cream cheese layer. Using a skewer or the tip of a knife, drag the tip through the cream cheese mixture to create a swirl pattern. Bake the brownies for 30 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before cutting.

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