Happy Birthday, Zara! Fresh Strawberry Cake

Pink Strawberry Cake

When asked what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday, Zara said, "Pink Foofa!" She wanted a Yo Gabba Gabba theme and Foofa is her favorite character. Foofa is pink and happy and has a flower on her head. Of course.

The venue for her birthday party doesn't allow lit candles, so I did four dozen cupcakes to take there. I did a very small two-tiered cake for her at-home celebration so she could blow out her candles.

Fresh Strawberry Cake

(makes 24 cupcakes

-or- 

19 cupcakes, one 6" cake & one 8" cake)

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoons strawberry flavoring
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg (or add more to taste)
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup applesauce 
• 12 drops red food coloring
• 1/2 lb. (8 oz.) fresh strawberries, diced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray pans with a non-stick spray and line muffin tin with cupcake liners. I used one 6 inch pan & one 8 inch pan, plus made 19 cupcakes.
2. Cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and strawberry flavoring. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the milk, applesauce, food coloring, and strawberries. 
3. Pour mixture into the pans.
4. Bake 30 to 40 minutes. 20-25 for cupcakes. To check if they're done, insert a toothpick. If it comes out clean, they're finished.
5. Let the cakes cool on a rack.
6. Decorate.
7. Nom. Nom. Nom.

Such a retro girly cake!

Lots and lots of Foofa flowers.

The Birthday Girl blowing out her candles. Ignore the waffle in her hand.

Yummy cake!

Drop back by tomorrow for more of Zara's birthday!