Strawberry Butterfly Cupcakes

What little girl wouldn't love butterflies and strawberries on her birthday?  The cupcakes are from scratch strawberry cupcakes SANS gelatin packet, boxed white cake mix, and artificial food coloring!  Yippee!  (See the recipe at the bottom.)  They are topped with cream cheese frosting and of course the most adorable fondant butterflies and flowers.  Served on a colorful butterfly and flower printed cupcake tier, the blue and pink gingham liners even coordinate with the green gingham edging.  Oh the things that make me happy!  :)

 The butterflies were dusted with gold pearl dust.

Yummy!  Look at the real strawberry flecks in that cake!

Strawberry Cake Recipe:

Adapted from A Dash of Sass

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1-1/2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups strawberry puree*

about 1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare muffin pans with liners.

In a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. 

Add eggs one at a time until incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.

Add vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternating with strawberry puree and milk. 

Fill muffin liners about 2/3 full with batter.

Bake for 20 mins or until done.

Let cool and top with your favorite cream cheese frosting.  :)

Makes about 30.

*Note: I used a homemade strawberry puree that is simply pureed strawberries with a splash of lemon juice and a dash of sugar.  I freeze it and let it thaw when needed for yummy recipes like this one! 

Taken in my backyard today.  :)

Hope you are enjoying these last few days of summer!