“homemade” chocolate strawberry cupcakes

Have you ever found yourself in the grocery store with a sweet craving?  Probably one of the worst places to be, I know.  I found myself there a few days ago, pondering the selection of box cake mixes.  I wanted to make something quick and easy for dessert that night, but found the selection to be overwhelming.  There I was, pregnant, hormonal, and entirely exhausted by a simple grocery-store run debating the merits of chocolate vs. strawberry in the aisle.  Hey, at least I didn’t cry, right?  I gave up and tossed both mixes in my cart.  I just decided that if I can’t choose, it must be because some force in the universe has decided that I was destined to have both.  Clearly rational thinking here.

I am not ashamed to admit that I use boxed cake mixes.  I really do think that the key to “homemade” success lies in homemade frosting.  Cake, for the most part, really is cake.  This recipe involves brownie mix, strawberry cake mix, and homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.  J didn’t seem to mind.  I didn’t frost all of the cupcakes at once.  Don’t ask why.  But, I came home yesterday to find J in the kitchen, cupcake and piping bag in hand, trying to frost a cupcake for an evening snack.  Needless to say, this very intelligent grown man has allot to learn about frosting.

“Homemade” Chcocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

Here’s how this whole thing goes: