I first made this cake over a year ago. I found the recipe online as a chocolate bundt cake with a mocha glaze. I took it to a small dinner party with some friends and everyone completely died over how amazing this cake was! We talked about it for weeks. Over the last year I’ve adjusted and adapted the recipe and have recently been making it as a chocolate cupcake recipe with vanilla buttercream and it’s still completely PERFECT. It’s light and fluffy, but the flavor is rich. You can eat it and you don’t feel like you’ve ingested an entire cake. It’s completely divine in every way! Last week I made these cupcakes for a dear friend’s birthday party. It’s strawberry season, and all the local farms are putting up stands on the side of the road to sell their goods. I decided fresh local strawberries would be a wonderful addition to this classic chocolate cupcake, so I went on the hunt for these local gems. 5 minutes down the road from my apartment, I found a strawberry field and a little stand with strawberries and other veggies (see massive garlic pictured above!). So, I decided to fill the middle with homemade local strawberry filling, which I quickly whipped together after baking my cakes, and topped each one with a juicy fresh strawberry. Needless to say it was a big hit, and the fresh strawberries were the perfect touch! This will definitely be my go-to recipe for future cupcakes, cakes and bundt cakes alike!

Strawberry Filling

1 Cup fresh strawberries, tops removed, and cut into quarters

1/2 Cup sugar  •  1 Tbsp. Corn Starch  •  1 Cup water

Heat strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring every few moments until strawberries begin to cook down and sugar liquifies. Stir for about 10 minutes, or until your mixture resembles jam, stirring constantly so the sugar does not burn. Once the strawberry mixture begins to boil, mix corn starch and water together until dissolved. Slowly stir the mixture into your strawberry mixture, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Once your cupcakes are cooled to room temperature, using a small paring knife or corer, cut a small well in the middle of your cupcakes and fill with strawberry filling. Top with your frosting and enjoy!