White Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Daiquiri Icing

I was husbandless for the last couple of days, Troy's travel is starting to pick up again.  But, even without his help, I managed to get a lot of stuff done around the house.  Tomatoes planted, peppers planted, the house cleaned and redecorated.  And, a few loads of laundry done.  I love doing laundry, now.  I walk around the house looking for something to wash.  Lame, I know.  But true.


All this to say, I also ended up with time to bake cupcakes today.  Last week was my sister's birthday, and we were going to celebrate, but something came up.  So, we went out tonight, a bunch of ladies from church and us.  Her husband watched my two older girls.  He was brave!


I thought it might be nice to take some cupcakes to celebrate with.  I'm working on finding a good from-scratch cake batter recipe, but can't find one that isn't nasty after a day or so.  


Means I have to use a cake mix.


The only mixes I had were Yellow or Red Velvet.  I chose the yellow and added white chocolate pudding to it.  Filled my cupcake liners and baked them.


I wanted to make a strawberry icing with some frozen berries I had left from last summer's picking.  I got them thawed and blended, added them to my basic buttercream, and was highly disappointed with the blandness.  So, I got creative.


I added a few extra ingredients and made...

... Strawberry Daiquiri Icing.


Or, Strawberry Margarita, if you prefer.


I'm so happy with the results, the citrus I added gave the icing such a fresh flavor.  I garnished them with mint, just to be pretty, but it infused an additional level of freshness to the icing.


I will absolutely be making these again.

RECIPE:

White Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Daiquiri Icing


Ingredients:
1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 small box of White Chocolate Pudding


2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly cooler than room temp.
2 pounds of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 cup of frozen strawberries
zest and juice of 1 lime
zest of 1 lemon, juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2-3 Tablespoons half & half


Mix up the cake according to the directions, adding the box of pudding when you add the cake mix.


Fill 24-28 cupcake holes with liners.  Fill each 2/3 full and bake at 350*F for 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.


Transfer them to a cooling rack and cool completely.


For the icing:
Puree the strawberries in a food processor.  Strain them through a mesh sieve to remove most of the seeds.  Place the puree and the butter in a stand mixer and begin mixing.  Slowly add some of the powdered sugar.


Add the vanilla, rum and salt.  Continue beating, adding the remaining powdered sugar and half/half until they're incorporated.


Add the lemon and lime zests and juices.  You may have to add more powdered sugar after those are mixed in if your icing is too thin.


With a large round tip inserted into a pastry bag, ice the cupcakes.  Garnish with a mint leaf.

If you would like to try these and don't feel up to making them, just send me a SASE and I'll fill it for you.

Just kidding.


I think...




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My girls are the best gift givers!

No more hand wringing my laundry!

On Mother's Day

This Mother's Day, I rejoice for myself.  The joy of having my beautiful children is beyond anything I could have ever dreamed.
I rejoice for my friends who have suffered from infertility and conquered.  Those who have children here on this earth.  Those who get to hold their babies in their arms.
I cry for those who haven't been as lucky as me.  Those who have lost their babies before getting to hold them here on earth.  (I, too, have angels waiting for me, but, I believe there is a huge valley between the pain I feel and the pain those who only have angels feel.)
I cry for those still waiting for their miracle baby.  Those praying for their assisted reproduction to be successful.  Those waiting to get the phone call that there is a baby waiting for them - come pick her up!

I believe all who want to be are mothers, some just don't know their baby yet.