::Yellow Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream::

I'm a white cupcake kinda gal. But the very best white cupcake is a yellow one, if you know what I mean. More butter and egg is a good, good thing. Then, top it off with fresh berries whipped into icing and, well, YUM!

Yellow Cupcakes
1 3/4 cup flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 t vanilla
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 t baking powder
3/4 t salt
1 cup butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat butter, eggs, milk, vanilla.
Add dry mixture of flour, baking powder and salt until smooth.
Line 12 muffins cups and divide batter.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden and dry in the middle.

Strawberry Buttercream {This recipe is doubled}
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup butter
3-4 cups icing sugar
1 T vanilla
3 to 4 T milk

Boil down 1 cup fresh strawberries until reduced to half or more. Cool.
Whip together butter and icing sugar in food processor.
Add vanilla and milk.
Add reduced berries.

::Sunnyside Up Cupcakes::

Lemon cupcakes filled with lemon curd and topped with lemon cream cheese icing. . .

Cupcakes:

1/2 melted butter

4 t lemon zest

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 T lemon juice

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/4 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

3/4 cup milk OR 1 cup whipping cream

1/2 t vanilla

pinch salt

Bake at 350 for 16-18 

Lemon Curd: Over the heat, whisk for 6-8 mins:

1 yolk

1 egg

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 T sugar {or less}

pinch salt

zest 

Strain and chill for 25 mins.

Lemon Icing:

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

1/2 t vanilla

3 cups icing sugar

lemon zest

Assembly: Scoop out middle of each cupcake and fill with a scoop of lemon curd. Then ice each cupcake.

::Strawberry Napoleons::

Strawberries
Slice and toss with a little Grand Marnier and sugar. Set aside.

Custard
3 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
3 T sugar

Whisk all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat for ten minutes, until thickened. Pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge.

Puff Pastry
Roll out puff pastry into a square. Cut into 1" to 2" squares and bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Napoleons
Split the puff pastry into two or three and layer with berries and custard. Sprinkle with icing sugar and eat before they grow soggy.