Think Pink

Saturday is the Bernal Heights Garage Sale, a huge neighborhood-wide event where people can sell their crap to other people so that they have more money to buy more crap. Yay! This year, I am going to help out my friend Jude and we are going to sell cupcakes and her adorable little hand-stitched felted onesies, too (she's a crafty one, I tell ya). Recession - ha! We laugh in your general direction.

I am going to make my Hummingbird cupcakes, and she is going to make my Salted Caramel Chocolate cupcakes. I wanted to make some kind of mini for the kids, and also something summery, so I found this recipe on line from the book "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea" by Martha Hall Foose. I adapted it slightly and it turned out great. Above is my trial batch.

Strawberry Cupcakes

• 2 1/2 C. cake flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/3 C. buttermilk
• 1/4 C. canola oil
• 1/2 t. almond extract
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 C. mashed fresh strawberries
• 1 t. grated orange zest

- Preheat oven to 350. Line mini muffin pan with baking cups (makes about 50-60)
- In a med bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt
- In another med bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, almond and vanilla extracts - set aside
- In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light & fluffy. Add the eggs one at time, beating well after each addition.
- Gradually add the buttermilk mixture. Beat 1 min on med speed.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined
- Stir in the strawberries and orange zest.
- Spoon into prepared muffin tins - fill to 2/3 full (DO NOT overfilll, trust me on this)
- Bake for about 20 min

• 1/2 C. chopped fresh strawberries
• 2 T. strawberry jam
• 1 t. fresh lemon juice
• 1 8oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softenend
• 2 C. (1 box) confectioner's sugar, sifted

- In a small saucepan over med heat, combine strawberries, jam and lemon juice. Cook and stir for 5 min, or until the jam is melted and the strawberries are soft. Press any big pieces with the back of a spoon to mash.
- In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mis the cream cheese and butter at med speed until creamy. At low speed, slowly add the confectioners sugar and mix until combined.
- Add the strawberries and mix at low speed until blended.

I leave you with this fabulous sticker that my friend Jill just sent me from Cupcake Royale in Seattle (notice that they are featuring Strawberry cupcakes this month). You gotta fight for your right to FROST!