Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

These cupcakes are incredible. Biting into one, you get the tangy lemon cake,  along with a burst of fresh strawberries. I can't help but think of summer with each bite. They take me back to sipping fresh strawberry lemonade out on the patio. Boy, am I looking forward to those days again. Especially right now, when it is raining outside.


Ingredients:

Lemon Cake-

1 box of white cake mix
1/3 cup veg oil
3 eggs
zest of 2 lemons
fresh squeezed juice of 2 lemons
1 cup sour cream

Strawberry Frosting-

1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup butter (softened)
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar



Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with liners.

Sift cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Add the veg oil, eggs, lemon zest and juice. 

Using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, mix until combined and smooth. 

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Let cool completely. 

FROSTING-

Place the fresh strawberries into a food processor or blender. Blend until pureed.

Transfer the puree to a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Bring to a boil (stirring often), until the puree is reduced to about half (15 minutes) Remove from heat and cool completely. 

Beat the softened butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. 

Add 1 cup of confectioners sugar into the butter, and beat until blended. 

Add 2 TB of strawberry puree, and mix until blended (don't forget to scrape the sides)

Add 1 cup of  the confectioners sugar and mix. Add 2 more TB of the puree and continue mixing. 

Add the last 1/2 cup of the confectioners sugar and mix until all is combine (scrape the sides).
 Fill into a pastry bag and ice the cupcakes. 




Enjoy!





Apple Pecan Pull Apart Rolls


I remember these rolls from my childhood, all seven of us kids, loved them. We always used to fight for the top parts, you know, the ones covered in glaze. 

I now make them for my family, It is a breeze with my bread machine, but even if you don't have a bread machine, you can still make them, it just takes a little time and effort with the dough. 

They are great for breakfast or just a snack with a glass of milk. Each piece is filled with pecans and cinnamon covered apples. Definitely a mouth watering treat. 


Ingredients:

dough-
1 cup of warm water
1 egg
1/4 cup of butter (melted)
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups of flour
1 1/2 tsp quick active yeast

Filling-
3 apples (peeled and chopped)
1 cup pecans (chopped)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
------
1/4 cup of butter (melted)

Glaze-
2 TB melted butter
1 cup of confectioners sugar
1-2 tb milk 


Directions-

I make the dough in the bread machine- Carefully place all of the dough ingredients into the bread machine pan, and select the dough cycle. Do  not use delay cycle.

If you do not have a bread machine, use your stand mixer.  In you stand mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the butter, egg, sugar, salt, and flour. Beat until smooth. Add more flour to form a stiff dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6/-8 minutes. Place into a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-2 hours.

While the dough is rising, combine the chopped apples, pecans, cinnamon and sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. 

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 20-25 pieces. 

On a floured surface, pat and roll each piece of dough into a small circle. Fill with 1 tsp of filling and pinch the sides together to form a ball. 

Melt 1/4 cup of butter, dip each ball into the butter before placing them seam down in a spring form pan. Layer the balls and then sprinkle the remaining apple filling. 

Cover and let rise for at least 1 hour, until doubled. 

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for at least 15 minutes and remove the sides from the pan. 
Combine the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the warm bread.