STRAWBERRY ROSE CAKES

By carvalhohm2

Ingredients

• Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans
• Flour for dusting the pans
• 1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix
• 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
• 1 cup mashed fresh strawberries with juice (1 1/2 cups whole berries)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Details

Servings 24
Adapted from workman.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the vegetable shortening inside the rose cups, making sure to cover all the surfaces. Dust with flour and shake out the excess. Set the pan aside.

2. Place the cake mix, gelatin, mashed strawberries and juice, milk, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Spoon or scoop ⅓ cup batter into each prepared cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. Place the pan in the oven.

3. Bake the cupcakes until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 24 to 27 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Leave the oven on. The cupcakes will shrink and settle into the cups as they cool. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake roses to loosen them, then invert the pan onto a rack and lift off the pan. Let the cupcake roses continue to cool rose-side-up for 30 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter.

4. Dust the roses with the confectioners’ sugar. The cupcakes are ready to serve. For a pretty presentation, place these roses on a silver platter with rose petals and fresh strawberries. No rose pan? Use a regular cupcake pan, lined with paper liners. Bake the cupcakes about 18 to 20 minutes and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Store these cupcakes, in a cake saver or under a glass dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze them, wrapped in aluminum foil or in a cake saver, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cupcakes overnight in the refrigerator before serving.