The Spiderman cake! Love it! It was not difficult, and the cake inside is marbled with black to look like spiderwebs!

Strawberry Kiwi Cupcakes

Want to start a riot at your after church pot luck? I suggest bringing these bad boys with you. Super delicious, wonderfully moist. Yum!

For the Cupcakes: (makes 24+)

1 c Butter
2 c Sugar
3 Eggs
2 peeled, diced kiwi
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
3 1/2 c Flour
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 c Sour cream or yogurt (not fat free or low fat)

Cream butter and sugar until well incorporated and fluffyish. Add eggs one at a time, mixing completely each time. Mix in kiwi, vanilla, and lemon juice. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add a third at a time alternately with the sour cream to the batter.
Put batter in paper-lined tins and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20ish minutes. Check for doneness by touching the tops of the cupcakes. If they don't spring back, they aren't done. You can also use a toothpick.

For the strawberry compote (found idea here):

1 1/2 c Sugar
2 c Water
2 tbsp Corn starch
16oz Strawberries, hulled and diced

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 10 mins. Add the cornstarch a little at a time and stir until thickened. Lower the temp of the stove to a simmer and add the berries. Stir at a high simmer until the mixture is an even color. Allow mixture to cool.

For the Kiwi Buttercream (also found here with some modification):

1/2 c Butter, softened
1/2 c Shortening
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Peeled, finely diced kiwi
1 tsp Salt
6ish c Powdered sugar

Cream the butter and shortening. Add vanilla, kiwi, and salt and blend until well incorporated. Add the sugar, about a cup at a time, until fully mixed and at the desired consistency. If the frosting is too stiff, add a tbsp of milk to thin it a bit.

Assembly:

Allow cupcakes to cool, then cut a divot into the top of them to put the filling into. Spoon the cooled filling into the cupcakes. I'd suggest putting the cupcakes on a cooling rack that has newspaper underneath. It's easier to clean the counter afterward! Trust me on this. :) Once that is done, put the frosting into a bag with the tip of your choice and frost away. Garnish with a freshly cut strawberry or kiwi.