31. strawberry cupcakes

as promised, the strawberry mania continues...

these were enjoyed at isla's first birthday party (eee!), which was strawberry shortcake themed. i did not choose to make strawberry shortcake only because i simply could not pass up the opportunity to use my new cupcake stand, which i got at michael's with a coupon. yeay, savings!

i thought i would share my favourite cupcake recipe. it is a vanilla cake recipe from kitchen for kids that i have been baking with my sons for a few years now. it has never failed. and to me, with whom many a recipe has failed, that is onus enough to make it a keeper recipe forever. actually the recipe is for a small cake, but i experimented with changing it into a cupcake recipe (since i have made it before without fail and am now brimming over with uber-confidence) and it worked!

Strawberry Cupcakes 


adapted only slightly from Kitchen for Kids by Jennifer Low
makes about 10 cupcakes

1 cup plus 1 Tbsp flour
2 tsp baking powder
sprinkle of salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, soft
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk
your favorite frosting
strawberries to decorate

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. put paper muffin cups in muffin baking tray
3. sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl
4. in another bowl, cream sugar and butter, then blend in egg and vanilla
5. whisk in milk, stir in spoonfuls of flour until batter is smooth. i do this completely by hand with the boys (sometimes). it only takes a few minutes and the boys think it is fun! of course, use a machine if you have one. i don't. (still waiting for that kitchen aid, hubby dear)
6. pour into muffin cups about 2/3 full and bake about 30 minutes. cupcakes should be pale golden and skewered clean in middle. they are delicious! edit: strangely, i baked these again and they only took 22 minutes. so...just make sure to watch your oven and set the timer for 22-25 minutes, not 30. my bad
7. decorate with white frosting and halved strawberries for a simple but celebratory effect

now wasn't that a simple recipe? i love simple recipes

even the leftover cupcakes with melty frosting looked yummy...you can bet i finished these off

and guess who showed up at the party courtesy of my rat-packing sister?

ms. strawberry shortcake herself! count as vintage? 20+ yrs old, my old strawberry shortcake figurine still smells faintly sweet like the day i got her. oh, nostalgia