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Add flash to the 4th with berry cupcakes

Photo by Michelle Baker

Have a sweet celebration for the United States' 233rd birthday by baking some berry cupcakes.

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By GREG and MICHELLE BAKER

Tribune correspondents

Published: June 26, 2009

There is no better way to celebrate a birthday than by wining and dining. Enter the Manchester Mamas, nine lovely and hilarious women who know that food and wine are the source of a successful celebration.

We met the Tampa Palms Manchester Mamas a few weeks ago by way of a frantic phone call. Mama No. 1 was turning 50, and the remaining eight Mamas needed a creative way to celebrate such a special occasion. They thought of limo rides to the beach, to Ybor, to Channelside, but none of those ideas had the needed wow factor.

Through a series of brainstorms, it turned out the birthday girl loved to cook, and with a little help from Mamas No. 2 and 3, a home-hosted cooking class-dinner party was the perfect solution.

There was cutting, there was drinking, there were roulades and ragouts, there was chef-ogling and, at the end, a beautifully set table overflowing with 50th birthday memorabilia, a delicious dinner made by the Manchester Mamas (with a tad of chef help) and lifelong memories made with good friends.

America's birthday is coming up, and it would be such a shame to not offer something, Manchester Mama-style. So here's a cooking lesson (OK, a recipe) and the sweet finale. Happy 233rd birthday America!

Visit the Sherpas at www.cooksncompany.com and www.culinarysherpas.com.

BERRY BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES

Makes about 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1½ cups all purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup milk

1 cup mix of fresh berries (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry)

For the butter cream frosting:

2 cups shortening

8 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons clear imitation vanilla extract

6 fluid ounces heavy cream

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Add berries and mix very well. Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean of batter. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to completely cool.

For the frosting:

Cream shortening until fluffy. Add confectioner's sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla and whipping cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add additional whipping cream if necessary (up to 2 ounces). Beat at high speed until frosting is light and fluffy.

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