This week is about a little more than just delicious treats. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, something that is very near and dear to my heart. Breast cancer strikes far too many, old and young, rich and poor, mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmas, daughters. Awareness is empowerment, so I'm taking attention any way I can get it. With a pink theme in mind, this week's flavor is Strawberry. I hope you enjoy, but more important, I hope you are moved to act. There are countless organizations that help women facing a diagnosis, so if you ever feel like making a difference, do it! (One of my favorites: http://walk.avonfoundation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=walk_homepage)

And a special occasion calls for a special apron

First, we start with strawberries

And make them like this:

Let's take a look at all the ingredients for the day (the salt was ready for the occasion)

 

Next up, mixing the dry ingredients

 

Then it's time to mix the butter, sugar, and vanilla

Next up, one egg at a time

Then it's time to add the dry stuff

Add a little milk and you got a good thing going

Mix mix mix

Now it's time for the good stuff!

Stir it up

I saw these cupcake liners and thought they would go nicely with the pink theme

And now we're ready for the oven!

25 minutes later...

Looking delicious!

All dressed up for a good cause!

Strawberry Cucpakes- Cupcakes for a Cause

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter at room temp (2 sticks)

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs, plus one egg white

1 cup whole milk

2 cups finely chopped strawberries ( I would maybe blend to make the strawberries more infused in the batter)

Vanilla Frosting

3/4 cups unsalted butter room temp

2 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Mix both flours, salt and baking powder. On a medium speed, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Add whole eggs and egg white, one at a time. Beat until each is incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in two parts, adding milk after each addition. Beat until well combined. Stir in strawberries. Bake 25-30 minutes.

For the frosting, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy. Reduce speed to medium and add the confectioner's sugar a 1/2 cup at a time. Beat on high for 10 seconds, then go back to medium. Add vanilla and beat until the frosting is smooth.

 

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Since I seem to be on a bit of a cookie trend, let's continue with Chocolate Chip. Who doesn't love chocolate chip cookies?! Warm. Right out of the oven. Maybe a little scoop of ice cream on top. I'm getting hungry... This week's recipe is cake version of of the classic cookie, and it is delicious. The recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips, which worked, but I think next time I would use milk chocolate. I think it would provide a little more of that melt-in-your-mouth goodness, but I'll leave it to you to decide. Now, this recipe is not for those who have issues with directions. There are a few cups + tablespoon measurements and save this for late kind of thing. So, read read read before you start.

First up- the cast:

Note the special cast member- October is breast cancer awareness month after all. More on this next week.

The flour. And um... I didn't exactly read the directions... so note the extra tablespoon there on top. It was supposed to come in later, but oops :)

What happens when you mix milk and vanilla?

This!

 Another reason this recipe was a pain... what I am supposed to do with this leftover butter?

Butter and sugar

Ahh light and fluffy. This part always looks so delicious to me. Call me weird,  but it does!

Now let's add the dry stuff

And a little milk. Whip it up. And this is what you get.

If you are like me and love to eat a little chocolate chip cookie dough, but maybe aren't a fan of the whole raw eggs part, I have found a cure! Make the batter up until this part- we haven't added any eggs yet- and just add the chocolate chips. Stir. Eat! Yum!

Okay back to the cupcakes.

Now for some egg whites. I wish I had something to use the egg yolks for, but I didn't.

Just mix up the egg whites until they have nice stiff peaks.

 Like this!

Now fold in 1/3 of them

And gently fold in until nice and mixed. Add the rest and keep folding.

Until it looks like this :)

Now for the good part. Calling all chocolate chips! Get in my batter!

All mixed and ready for the oven.

20 minutes later, you get this.

Oh hey cupcake! You're looking good!

Cupcakes cupcakes every where

Now, tonight, and this week for that matter, is a little crazy. So for this week's cupcake, I let Betty take care of the frosting.

Shhhh- don't tell Martha.

A glass of milk is definitely required.

Oh look at that chocolately goodness!

Okay, like I said, tonight and the week are crazy, so look back for the recipe tomorrow :)