Jump-Start Summer With Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Pound Cake

1. Cream the sugar and the shortening (or butter).
2. Add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla and dry ingredients.
3. For strawberry pound cake, stir roughly 1 1/2 cups (355mL) of strawberry jam (or chopped strawberries) into the batter and mix until just swirled together.
4. Spoon the smooth batter into lined cupcake pans.
5. If you want to keep some of the cupcakes plain you can individually swirl a spoonful of jam into some of the cupcakes once you pour the plain batter into the cupcake liners.
6. Bake the cupcakes for 10-15 minutes at 325 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes and then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Buttercream frosting

1. Blend the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
2. Keep a portion of the frosting plain.
3. Blend 1 tablespoon or more of strawberry jam, to taste, into the remaining half of the frosting.

Homemade Whipped Cream

1. Mix the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla together, beating them together on high using a hand-held mixer or a stand-up mixer with the whisk attachment. It will take several minutes for the liquid cream to transform into stiff peaks.
2. If you beat the whipping cream until it is too stiff you can add more cream and continue beating it. This is also a good trick if you are using leftovers the next day. Leftover whipped cream often starts to separate and lose its form. Simply add more cream (if need be) and whip it again.

Assembling the Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

1. Cut vanilla pound cake cupcakes in half.
2. Spoon sugared, sliced strawberries in the middle of the cupcake.
3. Top the cupcakes with homemade whipped cream and more strawberries if desired.

Assembling the Vanilla Pound Cake Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

1. Swirl strawberry jam into some of the buttercream frosting.
2. Then pipe strawberry buttercream frosting onto vanilla pound cake cupcakes.
3. For another version, remove the liners from some of the cupcakes and cut them in half.
4. Spread strawberry buttercream frosting in the middle of the cakes and pipe some more on top.

Assembling the Strawberry Pound Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1. Swirl strawberry jam into some of the vanilla pound cake batter and bake the cupcakes.
2. Once the cupcakes have cooled, pipe vanilla buttercream frosting on top.