Fairy Tale Cupcake Bakery Series continues to delight readers with a twisty cozy mystery and several recipes for excellent cupcakes. Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes are a delicious treat to bring to your next family gathering or book club.
In Book #14 of the Fairy Tale Cupcake Bakery Series, Old Town Scottsdale, AZ is dealing with a deadly crime streak. This cozy mystery involves several violent crimes that puts all of the business owners on guard and under suspicion. Main character Melanie bakes to relieve stress, but the customers have dwindled due to the crime. Somehow she must solve this mystery to save everyone’s businesses, including hers.
Strawberried Alive by Jenn McKinlay
Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes
from a cozy mystery:
Strawberried Alive
by Jenn McKinlay
Book Outline and Tone:
A cozy mystery with lots of action involving multiple victims and an allusive suspect. Main character Melanie is an independent woman to admire. She is running a successful cupcake bakery by herself as her partner Angie is home with her newborn baby girl. While Mel is an independent woman, she is not a woman alone. Her support circle includes a wonderful husband, faithful co-workers, police officer uncle, and longtime friend from high school. It takes each and every one of her supporters to surround Mel after she is shot at leaving her bakery.
The stories in the Fairy Tale Cupcake Series are sequential, meaning the plot acknowledges that Mel has been involved in solving several murder mysteries. Of course, the characters are quick to assume that the shooter is someone from a previous mystery. When there are more shots fired at business owners in Old Town, it is Angie who comes up with another possible motive.
Point of View:
Third person with the reader knowing Mel’s thoughts.
The Author: Jenn McKinlay
Jenn McKinlay is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her website not only lists all of her books but has a pretty fascinating bio page. She is a skateboarder, has been in a glider plane, and has lived both on the east coast and in the west. I would tell you more, but I would rather encourage you to check out her website. Jenn McKinlay has an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, and her website. Give her a shout out on social media and let her know what you think of her books and desserts.
What is not to like?:
I appreciated the realism that Angie was too busy with her baby to be involved much in the storyline, but I love that character, so I wish there was more Angie in this story.
The verdict:
I highly recommend this series each time I review an installment. I particularly recommend this novel because of the continued action and clever mystery.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes
Assemble the Ingredients
First make the Strawberry Puree
Dice 2 cups of strawberries and add to a small pot over medium low heat.
Add 1/2 cup of sugar.
Add the juice of half of a lemon.
Heat to a gentle boil for 5-10 minute until the strawberries soften and begin to fall apart.
Remove from heat and use an immersion blender (or pour into a standard blender) and blend until smooth.
Cool the puree, but take 1/2 cup to make a thicker puree for the frosting.
Make the Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put 12 paper liners into a cupcake tin or even better use silicone baking cups that are dishwasher safe and can be used over and over.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy.
Mix in the egg and then the egg whites.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, strawberry puree, and vanilla extract.
I used a 2-cup measuring cup to make it easy to pour into the batter.
Alternately add the flour and buttermilk mixtures to the large mixing bowl with the butter, sugar, and eggs until just combined.
Fold 1 cup of the diced strawberries into the batter.
Scoop the batter into the cupcake pan, filling each one two-thirds full.
Silicone Baking Cups, Walfos Jumbo Cupcake Liners Large 3.5 inch Resusable Muffin Cups Non-stick Muffin Liners Cupcake Baking Cup, Food Grade and BPA Free, 12Packs
Bake 20 to 24 minutes.
Makes 12-14.
Make the Frosting
In a small saucepan, heat the strawberry puree over medium-low heat, until it is reduced to 3 tablespoons. It takes about 15 minutes and will be thick.
Pour into a small bowl (preferably glass) and put in the freezer to cool. This will take only a few minutes and it’s good to stir it once or twice so that it cools evenly.
In a medium bowl, whip the salted and unsalted butters until fluffy.
Alternately mix in the powdered sugar, cooled strawberry puree, and vanilla
until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.
OXO Good Grips 3- Piece Plastic Mixing Bowl Set LInk
Before frosting, hollow out the center of the cupcakes with a curved grapefruit knife and scoop in the remaining diced strawberries.
It kicks up the strawberry flavor and was a fun surprise in the cupcakes!
When the cupcakes are cool, pipe the strawberry buttercream on top in the desired amount.
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Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes
Ingredients
Strawberry Puree
- 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
- ½ cup sugar
- juice from ½ lemon
Cupcake Batter
- 1⅔ cups flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup strawberry puree
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1¾ cup fresh strawberries (¾ cup for filling cupcakes)
Frosting: Strawberry Buttercream
- ½ cup strawberry puree
- ½ cup salted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Strawberry Puree
- Dice 2 cups of fresh strawberries
- add to pot over medium-low heat
- add sugar
- add lemon juice
- cook 5-10 minutes
- remove from heat and use immersion blender to make smooth puree
Cupcake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Put 12 paper liners into a cupcake tin or better yet, use silicone baking cups
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy.
- Mix in the egg and then the egg whites.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, strawberry puree, and vanilla extract.
- Alternately add the flour and buttermilk mixtures to the large mixing bowl with the butter, sugar, and eggs until just combined.
- Fold 1 cup of the diced strawberries into the batter.
- Scoop the batter into the cupcake pan, filling each one two-thirds full.
- Bake 20 to 24 minutes.
Frosting: Strawberry Buttercream
- In a small saucepan, heat the strawberry puree over medium-low heat, until it is reduced to 3 tablespoons. It takes about 15 minutes and will be thick.
- Pour into a small bowl (preferably glass) and put in the freezer to cool. This will take only a few minutes and it's good to stir it once or twice so that it cools evenly.
- In a medium bowl, whip the salted and unsalted butters until fluffy.
- Alternately mix in the powdered sugar, cooled strawberry puree, and vanilla until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.
- Before frosting, hollow out the center of the cupcakes with a curved grapefruit knife and scoop in the remaining diced strawberries.
- When the cupcakes are cool, pipe the strawberry buttercream on top in the desired amount.
What would I do differently next time?
I can’t think of anything to do differently. These would be wonderful with fresh blackberries too! Strawberries in early summer and blackberries in late summer.
Here are some of the best cupcake recipes you will ever find!
Salted Caramel Cupcakes from Sugar and Iced by Jenn McKinlay
Pistachio Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Fig Frosting from Going Going Ganache by Jenn McKinlay
Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes from Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay
French Toast Cupcakes from Red Velvet Revenge by Jenn McKinlay
Orange Dreamsicle Cupcakes from Buttercream Bump Off by Jenn McKinlay
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes from Pumpkin Spice Peril by Jenn McKinlay
