Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Pinterest is great because it introduces me to things I desperately need.

Like,

This sink faucet that changes colors according to temperature  (but you can pretend the red is fruit punch if you want.)

This rock climbing wall for my house.  (For when dinner guests get bored)

This Disney castle mural (Because $3600 is a cheap price to pay for that kind of magic.)

Also this pirate ship playground because then I could probably have the house all to myself.  All 3 of my boys would surely live on it.  Including my husband.

Something else you desperately need?

Chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes.

 Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Recipe by: Dip It In Chocolate

Strawberry Cupcakes:

-1 French Vanilla cake mix (Betty Crocker)
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-3 eggs
-1/4 cup water
-1 cup strawberry puree (About 10 large strawberries, pureed in a blender or food processor.)

Mix all ingredients in a mixer at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.  Pour into cupcake wrappers and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

Recipe slightly adapted from Williams Sonoma 

-8 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I just use a box of the Baker's unsweetened chocolate and snap each square in half)
-6 cups confectioners' sugar
-2 sticks butter
-6 Tbs. milk, plus more, if needed
-2 tsp. vanilla extract
-pinch salt

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely smooth.  It will probably take 3 minutes or so.  Do not overheat.  (You can also melt your chocolate over a double-boiler if desired.)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, the 6 Tbsp. milk, the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, then reduce the speed to low. Add the chocolate and beat until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more.

If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks.

Spoon frosting into a pastry bag and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.  I usually use a 1M tip.  Top with a chocolate-dipped strawberry.

(Dip clean, dry, strawberries, into a bowl of melted chocolate, place on parchment paper, and allow to cool completely.  Drizzle with melted white chocolate.  For strawberries I usually use high-quality chocolate chips for dipping (Guittard) and melt them at 50% power at 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until completely melted.)