Strawberry Lavender Vanilla Cupcakes

Today I made my well known cupcakes. Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Lavender Frosting. I had a couple people ask me for the recipe, so I decided I would post it on my blog.

The cake recipe is very nostalgic for me. As a child my mother would always be baking, and one of her signatures was a homemade white cake. Every time I taste it, it brings back really amazing memories of my childhood and time with my late mother. I always want to bake more especially because this time of year reminds me of her the most.

Silver White Cake Recipe

(Out of my late mothers 1976 Betty Crocker Cookbook)

2 1/4 cups cake flour or 2 cups all purpose flour. (I like the cake flour better)

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick of softened butter

1 cup milk (1%, 2% or whole)

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 egg whites (1/2 cup)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan if not using cupcake liners. Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg whites, beat 2 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into cupcake liners. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

(One tip my mom always said is that if you can smell the cake, they are done. And don't forget they do continue to cook in the pan for a few more minutes after pulling them.)

FROSTING

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter

pinch of salt

3 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon of dried lavender

(be careful to put just the right amount if not the lavender overpowers the strawberry)

Place strawberries and lavender in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and stiff.

Top off with fresh organic halved strawberries tossed in sugar and voila! You have an amazing cupcake!

And so it begins..

Well life has officially gone from 0 to 90 in the last couple weeks. I started school on September 2nd. I am going to Academy of Art University Online to complete my Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design. I feel some days like I am on a ten year plan to complete a Bachelor's degree, but the beauty is I have found a school and a program, that inspire me in every way in school and outside of school.

Inspired is the word I would use to describe this month so far. I have only had two class sessions for each class, but each class covers so much. It will touch on certain artists that peak my interest. Then I learn more from the class then the class even gives me.

I have found that life is taking me in a million different directions. I would describe myself as a taffy pull, pulled in all different directions, but if not left taught will collapse, I believe that I thrive off of this kind of living. So my life from this day forward will be all about creating, expanding improving my knowledge of the industry, I am working in and the projects I am working on. I thought that I will post some of my favorite work on here. So you can see where I am going in my studies, and making this another outlet for all areas of my life.

This now not just about my business, but my life and what continues, to create inspiration in my life. I hope that the inspiration I have will grip some of you in the future.

Here are two sketches that I had to do for my sketchbook

This second one is of my garden. I really like how the leaves of the green bean vines really take on their own life.

Speaking of gardens, I never ever let anyone know the progress of my garden. I ended up growing broccoli, tons and tons of lettuce from seed, collard greens, green beans and tomatoes. Am still waiting on my pumpkin and squash to show me some love.

Here is a picture of my real garden area. The sketch above references the sketch I did.

And last but not least, is a piece of garden art I created from an old window out of the house I grew up in when I was a child. My grandma had it and gave it back to my sister and I so figured why not take something drab and make it fab. I love the brightness it adds to the grey days here in Portland.