VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH STRAWBERRY FROSTING

I was asked by a dear old praise dancer buddy, Lia to teach a baking class for her daughter, Mallory and her friends, Olivia and Kennedy this past weekend.  Oh boy!!! And since I gave up sugar, I knew there was gonna be a self-control lesson in store just for me.  They wanted to bake a traditional yellow, vanilla batter cupcake with a strawberry frosting. I was glad that it wouldn’t involve me test-tasting anything since I’d already perfected a yellow cupcake recipe in my Banana Pudding Surprise Cupcakes. I remembered hubby, strangers and friends going ga-ga over these delicious little cakes as I tested the batter several times over a few days last year. I knew it would be the perfect base for said Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting.

Now for the frosting, I knew that it would involve a simple buttercream frosting but how could I add that strawberry flavor without the added juiciness that fresh strawberries provide? Fresh strawberries makes the buttercream entirely too runny in my opinion. I remembered that Sally over at Sally’s Baking Addiction used freeze dried strawberries to get that potent strawberry flavor without ruining the buttercream frosting. Perfect! I now had a baking 101 class to teach these sweet girls without being concerned that I would fall off my sugar free bandwagon.

Let me tell you…the girls absolutely loved these Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting and so did their dear parents! {My parents included…I’m sure you noticed my dear daddy’s hand going in for one!! 🙂 } They all raved over their moisture and that delicious strawberry flavor. We certainly had a blast making them and it was nice to see them encouraging and challenging one another in their relationships even during this simple baking class. We all need that encouragement from our dear friends and family. It’s important to challenge one another in those friendships in order help us grow to new heights. God’s Word says, As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion]. – Proverbs 27:17 (AMP). Thanks again Mallory, Olivia and Kennedy for joining me in my kitchen!! I hope to see you back again soon! Say Grace and enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS
Cupcakes

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 and ½ cups white granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 T. vanilla extract
• 2 c. cake flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 c. buttermilk, room temperature

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

• 1.2 oz package Trader Joe's freeze dried unsweetened strawberries
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 41/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 12 cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. Cream butter in an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for about a minute.
3. ............................................

for full instruction please see : saygraceblog.com