Chocolate and Strawberry Cupcakes

I had another garage sale! This one was with my family. I decided to make chocolate and strawberry cupcakes. I didn't go all out since I was making 48 of them.

The cupcake was made from 1 package devil's food cake mix, 2 tablespoons cocoa, 1 1/3 cups buttermilk (I substituted plain milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar), 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 3 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. I found this recipe in the Cupcakes! From The Cake Mix Doctor I bakes it at 350 for 18 minutes.

The frosting for the chocolate cake was 1/2 cup melted chocolate. I ran out of cocoa and I had some brick chocolate. I melted it down and used some of that.

I then added 1 1/2 cups shortening, 7 tablespoons milk and 4 cups powder sugar. When I was done it just wasn't chocolate enough. It needed more so I had to borrow some cocoa to help it. I added 3/4 cup cocoa which turned out to be enough, the frosting wasn't overly chocolaty but with the chocolate cake it was fine. I added blue sugar for an accent.

The strawberry cupcake was made with a strawberry cake mix and then I added 1 cup milk, 3/4 cup oil, and 4 eggs. The interesting thing I read in Cupcakes from the Cake Mix Doctor was that cinnamon helps to enhance the strawberry flavor. When the cupcakes were all done I did sprinkle some cinnamon on one just to see if it would work and it tasted amazing. I think one day I'll have to try that flavor combination. I cooked the cupcakes for 18 minutes because that's how long it seems to take my oven, yours could be different. I set the oven to 350.

For the frosting I wanted to use a vanilla frosting. I used 1 cup shortening, 4 teaspoons vanilla, 3 tablespoons milk, 4 cups powder sugar and a few drops of red food coloring. I topped the cupcakes with chocolate jimmies.

My army of cupcakes, ready to be devoured.