Valentine Surprise Cupcakes

So I've decided to include some recipes in my blog because I really like eating. Who doesn't?! No, really I enjoy cooking and baking. I seem to have a knack for it, at least everyone who eats my cooking says it's good. They can't all be lying...I hope.

While at work today I had a (what I thought was brilliant) brainstorm to make some cupcakes. Not just any cupcakes, special Valentine's cupcakes. That would include, but not be limited to, chocolate covered strawberries and red velvet oreos. 

Yes red velvet Oreos. It's the latest and greatest flavor Oreo. I thought I would include them in my cupcakes because they're red and they're delicious.

Now I love to cook but sometimes everyday it seems like I'm pressed for time. So I really love semi-homemade cooking. Sandra Lee is my mentor. Seriously though she has some great time and money saving ideas. 

So anytime I come across a cooking recipe, method, product that will save me time, I'm all about it! Today I found baking chocolate in a microwaveable bowl!! No double boiler, no mess, no cleanup!!!

The microwavable chocolate worked like a charm! It couldn't have been easier! It was so easy to get the chocolate ready I decided to have Jackson help dip strawberries.

Jackson's a very classy dipper.

I quickly realized this was not such a good idea.

I cut the strawberries in half that I was going to use for the cupcakes. I was going to dip the rest of the whole ones but someone ate all of them but 3.

I had enough chocolate for all the strawberries and a couple Oreos. Yes, white chocolate covered red velvet Oreos, don't mind if I do.

Before I get too far, here are the ingredients I used:

Fresh strawberries (halved)
White chocolate shell in microwavable container
Strawberry cake mix (prepared with the cupcake directions)
Red velvet Oreos (crushed)
Cream cheese frosting

I made the cupcake batter while Jackson "washed" the dishes in the dish drainer (rinsing and filling them up with water). It kept him out of trouble and it was most definitely training for the real deal (fingers crossed).

I decided I was going to put the chocolate covered strawberries right in the batter and bake them, against the better judgment of Cory's aunt who told me it wouldn't work when I revealed to everyone my baking plans while picking Jackson up. On the way home with Jackson's sweet little voice chanting "frosting surprise cupcakes" from the backseat, I was totally pumped for my cupcakes and just knew it would work!

I put two tablespoons of batter in each cup and then put the strawberry in. I felt they were too close to the top so I gave them each a little push down and topped with one more tablespoon of batter.

It looked pretty good to me so I put them in the oven and patiently waited to see how they turned out!

 I let them cool and I frosted one and sprinkled crushed Oreos on it and then peeled the liner off so I could cut it in half...

Oh the horrors!!!

Yep that sure was a surprise!! I guess I shouldn't have given those strawberries that little shove...Aunt Cheryl was right...

The first batch is now known as the soggy bottom cupcakes.

Not to be let down, I had 12 more cupcakes to make and another suggestion from a master baker Cheryl. I decided to do the next batch by baking the cupcakes like normal, letting them cool, cutting a strawberry sized hole, shoving the strawberry in, and then topping the strawberry with some cake.

This had to work!! I frosted that puppy, oreo'd it, peeled the liner and cut it in half...

Whew! It worked! I almost felt like I was on Cupcake Wars or something.

These cupcakes are super sweet, rich and delicious! They were a ton of work (I would never make it as a cupcake baker) even though they were semi homemade, but totally worth it for a Valentine dessert for my loves.