Bake Club - Milkshake Cupcakes

When I saw these on Bakerella's website I thought of one word: FUN. We could all use a little more fun in our lives, right? Ok, maybe I should just speak for myself.

But how could these NOT be fun to make??

We used fresh seasonal strawberries (this was back in July) to make Martha Stewart's amazing strawberry cupcake recipe. We obviously doubled the recipe as you can see in the above picture. My largest mixing bowl is almost overflowing with strawberry cake batter goodness!

Strawberry Cupcakes

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

makes 34 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour, (not self-rising)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups finely chopped strawberries
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin tins with liners.
2. Sift dry ingredients together and set aside
3. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla in mixer on med-high until light and fluffy
4. Add eggs and white one at a time mixing after each each. Scrape down sides of bowl when needed.
5. Add flour mix and milk over low speed in alternating batches beginning and ending with flour until all combined.
6. Fold in chopped strawberries by hand.
7. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 way full (to make room for the ganache)
8. Bake for 20-25 min turning once until toothpick comes out clean
9. Cool on wire rack and top with chocolate ganache and frosting.

Bakerella made her cupcakes in clear silicone baking cups, but after looking at the price of those we decided to go with paper cups and what I already had: small glass ice cream dishes. I wanted to try baking these in glass so you could see the pink cake and feel like you're truly having a strawberry milkshake treat! Guess what? It worked!

The cupcakes came out super cute. Here are a few of us applying what could be the best part: the chocolate ganache. I've never made ganache, it always seemed too intimidating, but it was the easiest part of this recipe by far!!

Chocolate Ganache (from Bakerella)

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
6 Tbsp butter

• In a small saucepan, heat cream and butter until just before the boiling stage.
• Pour over the chocolate morsels.
• Let stand about 20 seconds and stir until smooth.

Then we added the buttercream frosting, using a 2D tip to make it look like whipped topping.

Buttercream Frosting (from Bakerella)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1b. powdered sugar
1-3 teaspoons milk, half and half or cream

• Using a mixer, cream softened butter and vanilla until smooth.
• Add sugar gradually, allowing butter and sugar to cream together before adding more.
• If you want your frosting a little creamier, add a teaspoon of milk at a time and beat on high until you get the right texture.

Ready for the best part?? Add sprinkles, a little red candy, and a paper straw. I got the paper straws at the cutest baking supply store online, Bake It Pretty. If they had a storefront here in St. Paul I think I'd go broke!

Having fun yet?!

OH! I almost forgot!! Guess who I got to meet today??

Bakerella herself! She was having a book signing at the Williams - Sonoma store here in town so I sped on down to see her and get her autograph. I was seriously star struck and nervous when I sat down. I told her about our bake club and these strawberry milkshake cupcakes we recently made. She was very sweet and I am so glad to have met the woman behind the inspiration for our bake club!