Vanilla Stuffed Strawberry Cupcakes Food

VANILLA STUFFED STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• In 3-quart heavy saucepan, stir together milk, sugar, flour and egg yolks with whisk. Cook over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Transfer to bowl; press plastic wrap on surface of custard. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, beat cake mix and water with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 1 minute. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling completely full.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and cracks in tops of cupcakes appear dry. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Scoop out centers of cupcakes, leaving 1/2-inch border on bottom and side. Spoon or pipe custard into centers of cupcakes. Top each with strawberry half. Store covered in refrigerator.

STRAWBERRY-LIME STUFFED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla.
• While mixing slowly, add half the dry ingredients, then add all the milk, and follow with the rest of the dry ingredients. Take care not to over mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly in the prepared tin.
• Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove. Cool on the rack completely.
• For icing: Mix the confectioners' sugar and lime zest in a medium bowl. Add the lime juice and mix with an electric mixer to make a firm but pourable icing. (If needed, add up to 1 teaspoon more juice, but take care if the icing is too loose it doesn't set properly.) Add food color to make a pale pastel green icing.
• To assemble: Remove cupcake from its liner. Cut and remove a strawberry (coned) shaped portion of cupcake from the top of each cupcake, leaving about 1/2 to 1-inch of cake in the bottom. Stuff each cake with a strawberry and cover with a little bit of cake. Spoon and spread icing over the top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle with green sanding sugar. Top with small mint leaves or candied leaves.

REAL STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray cupcake cups with cooking spray, or line with cupcake liners.
• Place 8 strawberries into a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour the puree through a strainer to remove seeds. Puree should equal about 3/4 cup. Set the puree aside.
• In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, white sugar, vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, lemon zest, and strawberry puree until well combined. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla pudding mix (for a moister cupcake), and red food coloring to reach a desired shade of pink. Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cupcakes have risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool at least 10 minutes before frosting.
• To make frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, and mix in confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to make a lump-free icing. Frost each cupcake with about 2 tablespoons of icing, and top each cupcake with a strawberry slice.