Strawberries & Cream Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
2 cups cake flour*
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg, room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Place 20 cupcake liners in muffin tins. In a large bowl, whisk together by hand the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the heavy cream, canola oil and vanilla until just combined. Whisk in the egg until just combined.

Scoop the batter into the muffin tins so that they are 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs (not wet batter) attached to it.  Cool the cupcakes.
Source: http://tastypursuits.com/2012/03/18/strawberries-cream-cupcakes/

Filling:
3/8 cup sugar
1/8 cup cold water
1 tbsp corn starch
Pinch salt
1 cup fresh strawberries, finely chopped, divided
1 tsp butter

In a small sauce pan, combine the sugar, cold water, corn starch, salt, and 1/2 cup finely chopped, fresh strawberries.

Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until filling thickens. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Cool filling completely and then add remaining 1/2 cup finely chopped, fresh strawberries.
Source: http://www.duncanhines.com/recipes/cupcakes/klclark4444/strawberries-and-cream-cupcakes

Core the cupcakes and spoon filling into the cupcakes.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
8oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
3 – 3 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup strawberries, diced

Frosting: In a small mixing bowl cream butter, add cream cheese, beat until smooth.

Add vanilla. Add 1 cup powdered sugar at a time, beat well. (reserve 1/2 C to thicken, if needed, after the strawberries are added) Add strawberries, if too soft to pipe, add another 1/2 C powdered sugar.
Source: http://www.whatscookingwithruthie.com/2012/02/12/strawberries-and-cream-cupcakes/

Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and garnish with strawberries.

*To make your own cake flour, place 2 tablespoons cornstarch in an empty 1-cup measure, then top up with flour. Sift the mixture several times to evenly distribute the cornstarch.

Bananas Foster Cupcakes

I made these a few weeks ago, but I was slacking in posting about them.  I LOVE bananas, so I am a BIG fan of bananas foster and love finding new ways to incorporate it into desserts (my bananas foster cheesecake is pretty good).  Once again, I took pieces from a few different recipes I found online and combined them to come up with this wonderful creation.

Bananas Foster Sauce
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
4 bananas, sliced in rounds
1/4 cup dark rum

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet.

Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. 

When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot (don't stir the rum into the sauce!), then using a long match, light the alcohol by holding the flame just in the outer edge of the pan. (Stand far back and the flame should extingish in a few seconds.) Gently shake the pan from side to side to coat the bananas with the sauce. 

(Source: http://www.brennansneworleans.com/r_bananasfoster.html)

Half the sauce and bananas; place one half into a bowl and the other half into a food processor. Mash the mixture in the bowl slightly with a wooden spoon and set aside. 

Puree the other half until smooth. 

Place the puree into the refrigerator until cooled and slightly more thickened.

Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon dark rum
Banana fosters mash
3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, vanilla, rum and bananas foster mixture.

Mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream; blend thoroughly but do not overmix. Pour into prepared cupcake pans about 2/3's full. Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool for 1 minute in pan on rack. Remove and cool completely. Once cupcakes have cooled, core them and pipe the bananas foster puree into the centers. 

Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon dark rum

Beat together cream cheese, butter, cinnamon and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add about half the powdered sugar and beat until mixed well. Then gradually add the remaining powdered sugar until you reach a spreading consistency.  Add frosting to a piping bag and decorate as desired.

(Source for cupcakes and frosting:  http://www.erinsfoodfiles.com/2009/02/bananas-foster-cupcakes.html)