Where did we leave things last? Oh right, I was nine days from Bun's arrival...which turned into 17 days. Going stir crazy, I wrapped things up at work to focus on willing the baby into the world (as the stern nurse ordered). Mom arrived a week before our due date ("I think you'll be on time or early!"), and to pass the time we made dumplings, filled the freezer with post-partum meals, and baked cookies to share with hospital staff. Nick and I took walks and ate spicy food, to no avail. Mercifully they induced me at a week overdue, all went well, and we brought our sweet Charlotte home Monday morning.
The last nearly eleven months have been a blur -- maternity leave was suddenly over (I had grand plans to learn to bake bread...I'll give you one guess as to how that turned out), and we were learning how to be working parents. Charlotte is healthy, happy, and (surprising no one) a big eater. Introducing various solids has been super fun, but cooking for us and coming up with Charlotte-friendly snacks doesn't leave a ton of room for recreational cooking / baking.
Last weekend we visited friends with a three-year-old and seven-month-old twins. Given Charlotte's in what my sister calls the "Golden Age of Baby" where she's still relatively easy to supervise and takes reasonable weekend naps, I seized on the opportunity and baked something other than lactation cookies for the first time in nearly a year.
You may remember my undying love for local strawberries -- I was so excited when *proper* strawberry season arrived and I could introduce Charlotte to them.
The cupcakes we brought over to our friends' house were not only berry-ful in the cake batter, but topped with a crown of strawberry cream cheese frosting. The three-year-old solemnly declared them "the most exciting cupcakes I have ever seen" and tucked his away with a speed which reassured me I hadn't lost my touch. Indeed, I found them to be the perfect vehicle to highlight the summer's bounty. The cake was velvety and not a bit dry, and the frosting was decadent but not too sweet.
*
Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
from the Butternut Bakery Blog
(Originally a sheet cake, this is the ultimate unfussy summer dessert.)
Cupcakes
2 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c cake flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3/4 c vegetable oil
1 3/4 c granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c lightly pureed strawberries (pulse in a food processor until just a few small chunks remain)
1 t vanilla extract
Strawberry cream cheese frosting
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
3–4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c lightly pureed strawberries
Preheat oven to 350*F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake wrappers. Whisk together all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another (large) bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, strawberry puree, and vanilla extract. Fold dry ingredients into wet until barely mixed.
Pour batter into cupcake wrappers (this recipe made about 24 standard cupcakes). Bake for 15-18 min. or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean with a few crumbs clinging to the toothpick. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Using an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter. Mix in two cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time, then the strawberry puree. Add more powdered sugar until you've reached desired thickness. I added just a pinch of salt to bring out more of the strawberry flavor. Slather and serve!
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