Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

Another birthday! This time for my bf (Scott).  I gave him the opportunity to request which flavors he'd like for his cupcakes. I thought he'd insist on chocolate and peanut butter. But instead he said I should make whatever I felt like making. Well, what I felt like making was chocolate strawberry cupcakes because that's what I felt like eating. 

For the cake I used my trusty One Bowl Chocolate Cake recipe. It's easy, delicious and the cake has a tender crumb.  (I say that instead of using the word "moist" which Gina hates.)

ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cups white sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round pans.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center and add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Stir in boiling water.

Pour into two 9 inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and continue cooling.

For the frosting I used the Sprinkles Cupcakes recipe which is found on Oprah's website as well as a few other sites.

STRAWBERRY FROSTING

(Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes) (LIES! It totally covered 2 dozen.)

1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold

Pinch of coarse salt

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Look, I don't know why the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries and then has you use a mere 3 tablespoons of puree. I guess you could make strawberry pancakes with the remaining 5 tablespoons the next morning but you're probably going to be eating cupcakes for breakfast so never mind that. 

To decorate the cupcakes, I simply dipped some strawberries in Baker's dipping chocolate:

And just like that I had some mighty fine cupcakes on my hands.