CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY VALENTINES

Chocolate Strawberry Valentines image

Provided by Jane Whittaker

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 12

18 1/4 oz Pillsbury Moist Supreme Devil's Food cake mix
1 1/4 c water
1/2 c oil
3 large eggs
20 oz frozen sweetened strawberries thawed, juice reserved; two 10 oz pkgs
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2/3 c reserved strawberry juice
5 to 8 Tbsp sugar
1/2 to 1 tsp Kirsch more or less to your taste, and this is optional
16 oz strawberry cream cheese spread, two 8 oz containers
14 medium fresh whole strawberries made into fans
4 oz Cool Whip, thawed

Steps:

1. Make your cupcakes to package directions using the water, oil, and eggs. Let cool completely before decorating.
2. I use a rectangular cupcake pan that makes 8 cupcakes to a pan I measure out 1/3 cup batter per cupcake so they are all uniform.
3. While cupcakes are baking, thaw your strawberries, cutting them up smaller. Reserve 2/3 cup juice.
4. In a sauce pan, add your strawberry juice, sugar, and cornstarch, stirring to smooth, bring to boil and cook til thickened. Add strawberries and cook a minute more. Remove from heat and stir in kirsch.
5. Cover and chill filling.
6. To each cupcake, take a sharp knife and level off the rounded tops. You can save those to snack on.
7. Put the strawberry cream cheese in a Ziploc bag, cut off the corner to make a piping bag. Pipe all around the outside of the cupcake.
8. Put your strawberry filling in the middle of the piped cream cheese, top with a dollop of Cool Whip, and top with a strawberry fan.