Strawberry Stuffed Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting!

So I cheated a little bit with these cupcakes by using a box mix. But my reason for that was mainly because I had this new idea for a cupcake, and I wanted to try to master making a Buttercream Frosting! I actually went to a party last night where someone made a chocolate cake covered with Strawberry Buttercream...the frosting was so yummy! So being a freak about baking, I came home last night thinking about how good that frosting was! I started trying to think of a way I could use that frosting, and that is when I decided to try a Strawberry Stuffed Cupcake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting! THEY TURNED OUT AMAZING!!!! I will definitely be making these again, but maybe next time I will actually make the cake myself!!

Strawberry Stuffed Cupcake

(recipe from Liesl)

1 Box White Cake Mix

1 Cup Strawberry Jam

Prepare Cake mix according to back of the box. Bake Cupcakes, again according to the back of the box. I made 24 Cupcakes total. Once cupcakes have finished baking, cool completely on a wire rack. While Cupcakes are cooling, fill a resealable zip lock bag with the 1 cup Strawberry Jam. Once Cupcakes are completely cooled, poke a hole in the center of each cupcake. I used the end of a wooden spoon to do this. Take the zip lock bag filled with Strawberry Jam, cut a small hole in the corner of the bag, and pipe the Jam carefully into each Cupcake.


(These are my cupcakes filled with jam, just waiting for that yummy Strawberry Buttercream Frosting!) I filled my Cupcakes and then prepared the Frosting, but you could always make the Frosting first so it would be ready to spread once the Cupcakes cooled.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

(from Joy of Cooking, with a few additions of my own)

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup water

1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

5 Large Egg Yolks

3 Sticks Unsalted Butter Softened

2 Tablespoons Strawberry Extract

2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar (used this just to thicken it a little more)

Combine Sugar, Water and Cream of Tartar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the mixture begins to simmer. Stop stirring and cover for 2 minutes. (this allows the sugar to dissolve) Uncover and cook until the syrup registers 238 degrees (soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, fill a wide, deep skillet with 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer. In a medium heat proof bowl, be 5 Large Egg Yolks on high speed until thick and pale yellow in color.

Just before Syrup is ready, begin beating the eggs again on medium speed. While beating the eggs, pour the hots syrup in a thin steady stream into the eggs. Set the heatproof bowl in the skillet of simmer hot water and stir egg mixture constantly with a whisk until the mixture registers 160 degrees. Remove from heat. Wash beaters and beat the hot mixture until it cools to room temperature.

Once cool, beat in 1 Tablespoon at a time of the Unsalted Butter. Beat each Tablespoon of butter into the buttercream until it is smooth and spreadable. Continue process until you have incorporated all your butter. Once all your butter is incorporated, mix in the 2 Tablespoons of Strawberry Extract (or any other flavor you like). If it gets too soupy when you are adding the butter just stop and refrigerate it for a little bit. I also went ahead and put my frosting in the refrigerator for about 2 hours after making it, to let it set better. When I pulled it out it was still just a little to thin for my liking so that is when I added the 2 Tablespoons of Powdered Sugar...just to thicken it up. It didn't really effect the flavor at all.

Fill a resealable zip lock bag with Frosting. Cut a small hole in one corner. Pipe Frosting on top of each cupcake. I placed mine in the refrigerator after frosting to keep the Frosting set.