Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes with Whipped Buttercream Frosting

I love buttercream frosting. I have a better relationship with buttercream frosting than I do with many of my relatives. Given the choice to drink an entire bottle of ranch dressing or eat a bowl of buttercream frosting, I would pick the buttercream frosting hands down. Maybe that's not a great example because no one would ever willingly drink a bottle of salad dressing, but I'm having a tough time coming up with a suitable testament to my love of buttercream frosting. The sole reason I make cupcakes is that they are just a vehicle for frosting consumption. I'm that person at a party who takes a cupcake, licks the frosting off the top, and hides the cake in a napkin to give to an unsuspecting friend who thinks I'm just being nice.

I digress. I thought it wasn't possible to make buttercream frosting better. Until I added freshly whipped cream to it and piped the sweet, pillowy results onto strawberry cakes. Commence whatever the opposite of a pity-party is...in my mouth.

Now I am a big fat cheater when it comes to baking. I use cake mix whenever possible. I knew I wanted these cakes to be sweet and bright pink, and Duncan Hines strawberry cake mix did the trick. The results was cupcakes that have a slight artificial-flavor-coating-they-put-on-gumballs thing happening, but for the most part are moist and spongy and tasty.

The real star, of course, is the frosting, which was lovingly handmade. Here's what you need.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. of unsalted butter

2-3 cups of confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

Vanilla extract

Make it happen!

1. Beat cold butter with a mixer until softened. 

2. Slowly add confectioners sugar, one half cup at a time, until you've added two cups.

3. Make whipped cream via your chosen method. I like to shake the heavy cream in a mason jar until it turns to whipped cream - usually takes 5-10 minutes of vigorous shaking! You can also use a hand mixer or a fork if you're feeling ambitious.

4. Mix the whipped cream into the frosting. If the texture is too runny, add another cup or half cup of confectioner's sugar.

5. Finish with a teaspoon of vanilla extract. 

I frosted these bad boys and topped with a delightful strawberry slice to bring it all together. Fortunately, I had plenty of frosted left over for late night spoonfuls...I mean, uhh...I used all the frosting on the cupcakes like a normal person. Obviously.

Mmm. Frosting.