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My hubby and I love to travel. We both start feeling a bit itchy if we haven’t been anywhere in a while. Since we’re gone so often, we have a dedicated cat sitter for our little Kuro (black) and Hana (flower). Just a boy down the street who’s not quite old enough to get a part-time job yet. It’s a win-win situation, or so I like to think. He gets to make fairly easy money, and we never have to put our precious fur babies in a kennel, or worry about them at all because he does a great job.
On longer trips he would also take good care of my plants (before I killed them…), handle the mail, and once went above and beyond when I was gone for an extended period of time and didn’t realize I’d left a carton of milk in the fridge. This creative boy sent me the longest text, worthy of a short story contest, telling me of how he entered the house being met with an incredible stench, and went through a comical struggle with this beyond expired milk carton, haha. So let’s just say he’s gone above and beyond the call of duty.
This week we take off to good ol’ Hawaii, so we’ve booked our dependable cat-sitter again, and I wonder if it might be the last time. His father is currently serving a six-month deployment, and not long after he returns their whole family will be moving. I often pass baked treats on to my beloved cat-sitter when I go to drop off the house keys, or will bring treats back from wherever we visited. So this time, since it may be the last, and because it’s nearing Valentine’s Day, I prepped a slightly larger treat. A quick run to Walmart and I came back with: M&M’s® Strawberry, DOVE® Valentine’s Day tin, and some ridiculously cute American Greetings® cards. Gift-giving is so fun.
The cupcakes came out soooo yum. I made vibrant red velvet cake with chopped M&M’s® Strawberry, then topped it with a strawberry cream cheese frosting made with chunks of dried strawberries. Despite my best efforts to give them away (girl was out of town!), they ended up staying in the house and I’ve subsequently eaten four today…whoops.
But they’re quite good and quite easy, so let me know if you give them a try. And check out more Valentine’s Day recipes HERE.
Do you guys have anyone you like to gift at Valentine’s Day besides your significant other?
Strawberry Red Velvet Cupcakes
Makes 11 cupcakes
Cupcakes:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 Tbsp red gel food coloring
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1-1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup whole buttermilk
- 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1/3 cup M&M’s® Strawberry, chopped
- 4 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
- 1/2 cup butter, room temp.
- 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp clear vanilla
- 2 Tbsp strawberry jam
- 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries, crushed
Cake recipe adapted from here.
Gina G says
thank you!!
Open Kloset says
Sooo Gorgeous Darling:)Love Everything:) looks soooo Good:)
Love the photos, So Pretty:)
Love Kisses
Open Kloset
Please check my new Video about 8 make up, I hope you Like:)
Thanks
"True Beauty Comes From Within"
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Jessica Garcia says
Oh Man!! Those cupcakes look amazing 🙂
xo, Jessica || The Petite Diaries
Trend Mix says
These cupcakes look so amazing! Wish I could have one 🙂
http://trend-mixblog.com
Adriana R. says
Omg this is so lovely! <3
The Fancy Cats
Yourbeautyscript Blogger says
how sweet to make these beautiful cupcakes for your cat sitter! they look delicious and I might try these out for Valentine 🙂
x Josune, Your Beauty Script
http://yourbeautyscript.com
The Heba Blog says
These look so yummmmy!! I hope your pets had a good time with the cat sitter!
Heba xx || The Heba
Shea Sayers says
Aww, that is so sweet that you have such a great cat sitter. It's hard to leave your pets and not worry about them, I totally understand! But what a nice treat you made him–these cupcakes look SO good and so pretty too!
julie @ jewelswandering.com says
Girl, these look so deliciously fabulous! Can you please, please send me some!??! 😀
Sarah B says
These look DELICIOUS!!! What a wonderful treat for such a wonderful pet sitter!! #client
t'sshania says
Looks delicious, you're so creative.
http://www.itsshania.com/2016/02/01/fur-vest-and-knee-highs/#more-128
Paige Flamm says
These cupcakes look amazing! They're perfect for Valentine's day! And your cat sitter sounds like the cutest boy ever! That's so sad that they're moving!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Dajana W says
So cute, love it!
Dajana | https://dajanaerd.wordpress.com
Art Adorned says
Nice cupcakes they look delicious.
artadorned.com
Osiarah Blog says
All your recipes look so yummy, I have to try them all!
Thank you for sharing x
Camy xx
http://www.osiarah.com
Simply Davelyn says
These look fantastic! Great job hun!
xo, mikéla / simplydavelyn.com
Unknown says
Yum…
John Walker says
Yum…
Beckerman Girls says
Those look SOOOO yummy and I'm drooling right now! YUMMMM! and the best color!
kisses
xoThe Beckerman Girls
http://www.BeckermanBlog.com
Simply Alexandra // My Favorite Things says
YUMMMM!! These look and sound amazing! Seriously, you just make the most gorgeous desserts! I reviewed a cake cookbook today (it's the longest post ever lol…) but the cake one was AMAZING! and it made me think of you!! This is so sweet that you have a kid who cat-sits for you. Maybe you can find another kiddo in a similar situation once he moves. Our cat-sitter is getting ready to go to college in August… and it's not near here… so we'll be looking for a new one too. Luckily one of my good friends might be up for it. 🙂 I hate to worry about the little furry things. 😛 XO -Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
Aleczandra Sallows says
Oh what a wonderful kid and a thoughtful gift! These do look just delicious!
http://forsevenseasons.wordpress.com