After being challenged by Cindy in the cupcake department, I certainly couldn't let the shower go by without serving a few cupcakes for good measure. And I made simple fruit flavors to satisfy Cindy's more simplified dessert preferences. Making the cupcakes mini made them that much more fun and allowed everyone to sample different desserts rather than commit to a full sized cupcake (or feel like a little piggy by having a couple of big desserts). Plus, this way I got to mix and match the flavors and provide a wider assortment, which is always fun. The strawberry mini cupcakes had a strong strawberry flavor already, so to pair them with the strawberry glaze made the flavor intense, which is great if you love strawberries! The lime buttercream was a perfect compliment to the strawberry mini cupcakes. Likewise, the vanilla mini cupcakes were the perfect palette for both the glaze and the frosting. Even though Dave and Cindy were both sitting in the kitchen watching me pipe the lime frosting, I kept the beater for myself--this frosting was delicious! Tasty and cute, mini cupcakes are definitely the way to go. Plus, I loved the little polka dot mini cupcake liners I found to match the shower's polka dot theme.
The strawberry mini cupcakes start with a prepackaged mix because I'd intended to make these but when I decided to go mini, I didn't think the cream cheese filling would "fit" or it would completely overwhelm the cake. So, other than the filling, I did follow Lisa's recipe from Flour Me With Love, other than for some reason my topping turned out like a glaze and not like a frosting--but it was still good. And honestly, I was so busy in the kitchen I'm not 100% sure what I did wrong (other than be busy and thus probably not paying attention). The vanilla mini cupcakes are the same recipe for the Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes I made for Dave's birthday, only made in mini form and topped with lime buttercream. The lime buttercream comes from adapting Michelle's frosting recipe (from Brown Eyed Baker) for her margarita cupcakes. Seeing as how Cindy is pregnant and all, I figured leaving out the tequila and focusing on the lime would be a good move. Which was 100% on target. Mix and match these flavors however you like, but definitely make these mini cupcakes to share with friends.
Strawberry Mini Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 18.25 ounce box strawberry cake mix
2/3 cup yogurt (vanilla or plain)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together cake mix,
yogurt, oil, water and eggs until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
Divide batter evenly among a mini cupcake tin lined with paper liners.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 16 minutes of until
set and a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Note: Be careful to note over bake these as
the edges will turn brown and you'll lose the pretty pinkness of these mini
cupcakes.
Cool completely before frosting as desired.
Makes 36 mini cupcakes.
Strawberry Glaze
Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup strawberry preserves
1 cup powdered sugar
In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together cream cheese
and preserves until combined.
Lower
speed and gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until combined and scraping
sides of bowl as needed.
Note: Looking back now, I think my issue might have been not whipping the
cream cheese before adding the preserves.
By creaming them together, I think the preserves may have
"broken" the consistency of the cream cheese.
Spread onto cooled cupcakes as desired.
Makes enough to glaze 3 dozen mini cupcakes with some leftover.
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Vanilla Mini Cupcakes
Make batter as directed for regular vanilla cupcakes.
To bake, divide batter evenly among a mini cupcake tin lined with paper
liners.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 22
minutes of until set and a tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely before frosting as desired.
Makes 28 mini cupcakes.
Lime Buttercream
Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 drops green food coloring
Whip the butter in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high
speed for 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl down as needed.
Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually add powdered sugar. Mix and scrape sides of bowl until
incorporated. Add lime juice and vanilla
and whip on medium-high speed until fluffy.
Add food coloring to give a hint of lime color and whip for 30 seconds
until desired, even color is achieved.
Frost cupcakes as desired. Note: I
piped the frosting on using an extra large tip by just squirting frosting in
the center of each mini cupcake.
Makes enough to frost 24 mini cupcakes.
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Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess
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