Want to dazzle your guests? Serve cupcakes with flaming strawberries! I saw this on another blog and copied the idea for my dinner guests one evening. It was amazing! The wow factor is worth the extra effort! I’ll post my favorite chocolate muffin recipe here soon!

cupcakes with flaming strawberries
from www.sprinklebakes.com

12 cupcakes
18 strawberries
liquor (vodka, Bacardi 151, or some other alcohol that is higher than 80 proof)

To make the strawberries:

Hollow the strawberries carefully.  If you pierce the side of the strawberry accidentally, start with a new one.  Since you’ll be setting the liquor aflame, it is important that the strawberry is leak-proof.

Set one strawberry atop each frosted cupcake.  Fill strawberries with liquor just before lighting.  If you need to light them all at once, (say, for a party) use a turkey baster to quickly fill all the strawberries and a grill lighter in lieu of matches.

Notes for flaming strawberries:

• Any alcohol below 80 proof will not ignite well.  I used 80 proof which makes a small blue flame after several attempts. Use Bacardi 151 as a fail-safe.

• You can add a little sugar to the inside of the strawberry to sweeten things up.  However, the flame seems to last longer without the addition of sugar.

• Make sure to use a liquor that you like.  Vodka is a good choice if you want very little flavor.

• Alcohol evaporates, so light the strawberry soon after you spoon the liquor in.

• Room temperature alcohol ignites better than refrigerated.