Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes Recipe

After taking your very first bite of these cupcakes you will be hit with the sensational flavors of fresh strawberries, decadent marshmallow all topped off with a light and creamy champagne whipped cream.  What really surprised me was just how moist the cupcakes were!   Tell someone that you love them this Valentine's Day with this romantic dessert.  I like to top these with sprinkles to resemble champagne bubbles.  

Strawberry Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of strawberries, pureed

3 tablespoons of strawberry preserves

4 eggs

1 cup of strawberry champagne

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 butter, melted

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Filling

1 cup of Marshmallow Fluff

Whipped Cream and Champagne Frosting

4 cups of heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup of strawberry champagne

1 cup of powdered sugar

2-3 drops of red food coloring

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Make a well in the middle.  

2.  In a medium bowl combine the strawberries, strawberry preserves, eggs, champagne, vanilla, oil and butter.  Using a mixer, beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until well combined.  Slowly start to add the wet ingredients to the well made in the middle of the dry ingredients.  Mix until combined.

3.  Line cupcake pans with colorful liners.  Pour batter 3/4  of the way full.  Bake for 20-23 minutes.  Allow the cupcakes to fully cool.

4.  Scoop the marshmallow fluff into a piping bag.  Using a piping bag push the tip into the center of the cupcake.  Fill with marshmallow frosting.

5.  In a large bowl, cream the whipped cream, champagne, powdered sugar until soft peaks are formed.  Now add in the food coloring and continue to whip until stiff peaks are formed.  Place the frosting in a piping bag and then frost the top of the cupcakes.  

Red, White And Blue Pops Recipe (Strawberry And Blueberry Lemonade Yogurt/Cool Whip Pops)

Perfect and oh so yummy for the 4th of July!  These popsicles combine some of your favorite summertime flavors.  They are creamy, fruity and lemony and nothing but refreshing on a warm summer day.  In my trial run, I used both yogurt (bars to the left ) and cool whip (cup to the right).  I think I like the cool whip ones a little better because once the popsicle starts to melt it tastes like fresh fruit with whipped cream!

1 cup of plain non-fat plain yogurt or fat free cool whip ( I used both in my trial)

1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries

1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup of 100% lemonade juice concentrate, divided

Popsicle molds or 3 oz paper cups with Popsicle sticks

1.  In a food processor puree the strawberries and 1/2 cup of the lemonade juice concentrate and puree until smooth.  Add this to a separate bowl.  Now add the blueberries to the food processor and the other half of the 1/2 cup of the lemonade juice concentrate and puree until smooth.

2.  Using ice-pop molds layer the strawberry mixture, yogurt or cool whip and blueberry mixture.  Allow popsicles to freeze for about two hours an then insert wooden popsicle sticks.  Freeze for at least 8 hours.

3.  Dip molds into hot water quickly to remove from the mold.