A woman who has just become a mother deserves to be pampered a little, don't you think?
The girls and I are heading to my brother, Nathan's, house today to take lunch to his wife, Shana. We are so excited to meet their 1-week-old daughter, Kadence Marie. I can't wait to hold her, and 4-year-old Mary Ashley has already said she wants to watch The Little Mermaid with her. We are looking forward to a great girls day out!
I hope Shana will enjoy sampling these chocolate cupcakes frosted with chocolate buttercream icing and topped with chocolate-dipped strawberries. For the strawberries, I removed the hulls and dipped them in melted chocolate. While the berries cooled on waxed paper, I melted white chocolate and drizzled it over the strawberries from the end of a spoon. When the chocolate hardened, I placed the berries on top of the cupcakes. I like to place the strawberries hull-side down so the juice from the strawberries seeps down into the cake. So moist and delicious, they're worth every contraction!
Chocolate Buttercream Icing
1 cup shortening
2 sticks margarine
6 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons clear imitation vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
2 lb. 10X confectioners sugar
With an electric mixer, cream shortening, margarine, milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in sugar and cocoa powder until smooth. Add more milk, a little at a time, if the icing is still too thick.
