Tasty Tuesday: Cream-Filled Cupcakes

Today is a very exciting day in our house. We officially have another half-year-old. Two years and six months ago, our precious baby girl was born. Alyssa often tells her older brother, "No, I'm four-and-a-half. You're two." She understands the importance of those extra six months. We made cream-filled cupcakes today for her half-birthday.

Ingredients:

Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour                                   2 eggs

2 cups white sugar                                          1 cup milk
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder              1 cup water
2 teaspoons baking soda                                1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt                                                1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
1/4 cup butter                                                   1 pinch salt
1/4 cup shortening                                           3 tablespoons milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar                            1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 36 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, 1 cup milk, water, oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well. Fill each muffin cup half-full of batter.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
4. Make filling: In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening together until smooth. Blend in confectioners' sugar and pinch of salt. Gradually beat in 3 tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. beat until light and fluffy. Fill a pastry bag with a small tip. Push tip through bottom of paper liner to fill each cupcake.

Jake loved filling the cupcakes.

One cupcake for each child.

We realized the candle had not been lit after we had already sung "Happy Birthday."

Now she can make her very own cupcakes!

Yummy!

Linked to Whatcha Making Wednesdays.