I was assigned a delightful blog for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. Cara, owner of The Boys Made Me Do It, is the mom of 3 active boys and a wonderful baker. She had so many goodies that I wanted to try, but I narrowed it down to her Vanilla Stuffed Strawberry Cupcakes. Don’t miss her Candy Cane Brownies or Microwave Sea Salt Caramels, either. Cara, it was a pleasure to have your delicious blog this month!!!
This recipe called for a box angel food cake mix to be baked into cupcakes. I had plenty of batter left after I filled the 24 slots in my baking pans. I could have stretched this recipe to almost 36 cupcakes. I found they did not overflow onto the pans when filled only 2/3 full with batter…otherwise, you need to trim the excess and they’re not as pretty. Before baking the cupcakes, I whipped up the vanilla custard which needed to chill for a few hours before using. When the cupcakes were cool, I hollowed out the middle to make room for the filling. I used an inexpensive plastic cupcake corer for making the trenches. After spooning in the filling, the cupcakes were topped with sliced or halved berries and whipped cream. We all loved these!! Thanks so much, Cara!
Vanilla Stuffed Strawberry Cupcakes…adapted from The Boys Made Me Do It via Southern Living
1 (16 ounce) box of angel food cake mix (Southern Living recommends Duncan Hines Angel Food Premium Cake Mix…I could not find this)
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
3 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half
Fresh mint, optional garnish
Custard:
2 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
Sweetened whipped cream (1 cup heavy cream beaten with 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla)
Prepare custard by whisking together milk, sugar, flour and egg yolks together in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon butter and vanilla paste.Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 325º. Place paper liners in two 12 cup muffin tins. Prepare angel food cake according to directions on box. Stir in vanilla paste. Divide batter between cups, filling about 2/3 full.
Bake on middle rack for 20-25 minutes or till toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then loosen cupcakes from pan (use knife around perimeters) and allow to finish cooling.
{ 86 comments… read them below or add one }
I have a cake box waiting for me in the kitchen. Was hoping to make some cookies out of it since I saw a couple of cookie recipes calling ofr it lately. Now, after seeing your cupcakes I have doubts. They look so good and the custard, yumm!!
Very nice cupcakes!
Wish you and your family a very lovely christmas-
These are so delightful! Absolutely adorable.
Cake, custard and fruit are an awesome combination (hence my love for trifles). This is a perfect bite-sized trifle for the holidays. I love the whole idea. What a fun blogger you got for your SRC. Thanks for the recipe and for introducing me to someone new.
Dear Lizzy perfect and lovely!! Im a crazy by berries I think this recipe I would make, love it!:)
well done dear:)))
I haven’t made an angel food cake in years! These little custard filled cakes look delicious. I saw some nice berries at the market yesterday that would be perfect. Great SRC recipe choice!
I too love all these cakes Lizzy, very gorgeous.
These little custard cakes look scrumptious. Yummy, very nice.
I love the idea of putting angel food cake mix in a cupcake. They look so fluffy and delicious:-) Perfect choice definitely, and probably fun to make:-) Hugs, Terra
I love my chocolate but when pinched for an answer to the age-old question, “chocolate or vanilla?” – I pick vanilla. So these beckon. You couldn’t have made them prettier.
heavenly… Lizzy how soon could you adopt me? I promise to be a good 30 something year old baby who will never refuse tasty treats like these
Your strawberry cupcakes make me dream of Summer… Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
What a beautiful cupcake, so fresh and light looking and a nice reprieve from all the holiday flavors.
Happy, happy, happy holidays!
How can you anyone not love this recipe. It’s got some great components.. fresh fruit, custard and cake. My mouth would do a little happy dance it I could just manage to pry one out of the computer screen.
Hope you have a great week towards Christmas!!
Okay…I’ll be honest with you. I don’t bake often AND I have never used Duncan Hines or any cake mix before…did you give up on me, Lizzy? You continue to make so many dessert recipes and I can’t even catch up on making this many meals. You are dessert making machine! lol. Thanks for continuing to give me inspiration!
These look lovely in their little fluted paper cups–and the custard in the middle is a lovely surprise. Yum!
These are gorgeous! How fun – and I never heard of a cupcake corer before! Thanks for the great tip!
Cupcakes look so dreamy! Love the strawberry topping! Happy Holidays Liz! xx
Wow these look heavenly! Anything with strawberries in it sounds amazing, and this is the kind of thing I would eat 3 of in one sitting and still feel ok with myself bc there is fruit in it
Thanks for sharing!
The individual cupcakes look so much better than the big original angel food cake. I have always been afraid of conversion to cupcakes for fear of them sticking to papers. I am glad to come across a tried recipe that works, that sure skips a lot of experimental steps!
Adding the extra texture and flavor of the custard with the strawberries really does enhance these little cupcakes. Glad you pulled this one out to share with us. Stunning pictures. Have a great day Liz!
Wow these look fantastic! I love the baking cups that you used for these too…so cute. I adore the strawberry & vanilla pairing!
Makes me long for summer and fresh local strawberries
I love starting with a box mix and making something that looks this fabulous! Yum!
What a spring-like treat in December. Our strawberry fields down the road are filled with plants and will begin setting strawberries soon. We will have fresh berries in about 6 weeks! This will be the perfect way to start with a new crop. Love it!
Lizzy-you are on a “roll”…non stop!
Love these yummy, and pretty cupcakes, so festive, and even summery for our S. Florida climate here! Right now, it’s 70 degrees, sunshine, and breezy…almost to the point that it feels at least like 50 degrees!
xo
A delightful combination of angel food cake, custard and fruits. the cupcakes looks beautiful in those special kind of paper liners.
Hi Lizzy, back again to congratulate your on your fantastic “Spicy Mac and Cheese” on the Top 9!
Didn’t want to go all the way to #90..he, he; It’s easier to let you know on your recent comment section!
These Red Gold tomatoes are amazing, I won a giveaway from Wendy, a while ago, and loved, loved the tomatoes!
Such a refreshing change from the authentic mac and cheese with the red sauce. LOVE IT!
I really admire that you always let us know the “source” where the actual recipe comes from, unless it’s an old hand me down recipe from family, or friends. Big hugs to you, my dear friend:DDD
Baking those would be a nice treat to have after finals.
Tempted to try my hand at these…
I really love these cupcakes!!
These do sound delicious…Heading off now to check out her blog.
Are those just delightful looking. Photographed beautifully as always.
Wow! Awesome job on those strawberry cupcakes, Lizzy! They look super yummy!!!
those are just beautiful!
It looks very delicious. I love strawberry with vanilla custard.
And this cake looks very christmasy too :p
Merry Christmas Liz !
These look so beautiful and tasty!!! Love your photos!!!
Great SRC Lizzy, feels like summer with the strawberries. Got to try these custard filled cupcakes.
That custard sounds heavenly. It’s nice to see some strawberries among all the ginger and peppermint floating around. Great post, Liz!
Wonderful recipe as usual, Lizzy! These sound heavenly. I think I would have a hard time not just eating the custard by itself lol.
What beautiful cupcakes! These look fabulous
These look great – a fun new use for angel food cake!
So pretty! I hope I wished you a Merry Christmas but if not, I’m wishing you one now and an even better New Year than this past one! Thank you for your support of my blog. I really appreciate it!
Delicious cupcakes! Love the photos.
oh awesome! YUMMMMMMMMMM!
These look simply delightful!
Your cupcakes look amazing! I can just imagine how delicious they are to bite into and get a nice helping of vanilla custard, yumm!
Another wonderful,yummy pretty dessert from you Liz
I love strawberry all season
Ridwan
That was such a festive choice for SRC. That vanilla center sounds scrumptious!
These look beautiful you really need to open your own bakery…
Lovely & yummy !!
Lizzy, very creative and delicious! These look really beautiful. Thanks for the intro to Cara’s blog – always great to get a steer to another wonderful cook.
What a wonderful little dessert – light yet super tasty. BTW – love your new blog design! Glad to be part of SRC with you. Happy Holidays!!
they look so nice!
Una receta de lujo me encantan las bayas felicitaciones y feliz navidad paz y amor,abrazos y abrazos,
OMG…these look fabulous! Pinning…great job!
These are one of my favorite cupcakes! Thank you for such kind words! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
These are so pretty! Love strawberries and vanilla.
Oh Liz….these look fabulous! If I get assigned to Cara’s blog….I just might pick these too!!! : )
These make my mouth water! YUM!
Oh. My. God. Holy cow these look amazing.
Perfect little treats for Christmas Lizzy! are you on Pinetrest yet? I’d love to follow you if you are! Hugs, Roz
Lovely!These cupcakes look so delicious and yummy Lizzy!
colourful dessert looks wonderful
These cupcakes sound delicious Liz! I love strawberry anything, and these make me think of summer right now when I am feeling chilly!
These look so yummy! They look perfectly light and fluffy!
As with just about every sweet treat you bake, I could eat all of these. They look fantastic.
i love strawberry
Great job, Lizzy! Love the combination and in a cupcake, too!
great recipes!!! yummy foodie love love love it all!!! great blog. following you now..
join my christmas giveaway!!!
http://voguelyvan.blogspot.com/2011/11/international-christmas-giveaway.html
kissess!!!
Liz – this looks absolutely delicious and I love the strawberries and mint on top…beautiful as always!
Talk about drool worthy. I love the individual servings. What a beautiful presentation.
They are absolutely beautiful and adorable!!:) Strawberry and cupcakes do very well, going hand in hand in making a gorgeous and delicious recipe!:D
OMG these sound yummy! How fun to take a bite and get a luscious surprise inside. I like that little cupcake corer. As a lover of gadgets I may just have to pick one up.
Simply gorgeous and so fresh. Great pick for the SRC.
Those look great! Seems like a nice, lighter treat for this time of year!
The gift is truly inside these lovely cupcakes! Happy Holidays!
What fun little spins on strawberry shortcakes!
Hey Liz, your Cupcake is a Recipe Guessing Game on Knapkins. Think your friends can win? http://www.knapkins.com/guess_games/1085?source=blog
I love the little paper cups you used – I must find ones like these. And the mint sprig on top is a nice contrast with the fresh berries – very nice presentation as always
How yummy! And I love the food styling you did!
Those sound delicious and I’ll definitely have to check out the Microwave Sea Salt Caramels!
I absolutely love a custard filling in a cupcake. Topping it with strawberries is the ultimate treat for me. YUM! Have a wonderful Christmas!
These are awesome. So pretty and I love the filling, great idea!
I love that these are vanilla stuffed! Looks like a shortcake in a more easily devourable form
Love her blog too! Great SRC pick. Your cupcakes look beautiful and quite tasty. I want a cupcake corer now!
You made a great choice Liz, these are very dainty and a pretty addition to any dessert table.