Bake Up Summer Sweets Contest

by Nicole

Emily cooking

Summer is just around the corner, and we are excited about the sweet treats that are perfect for our favorite season. Share your favorite summer sweets recipe for a chance to win a KitchenAid Mixer ! Emily Schuman, Beso’s Style Director, will select the winner and bake up the winning recipe. The grand prize winner will be featured on the Beso Blog in June. If the baker in you needs the best mixer on the market, enter now and share your winning recipe with us! Entry ends May 31, 2010.

Strawberry Mirengue Buttercream Frosting

Makes 5 cups

4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) strawberry jam, pureed in a food processor

Directions

1. In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (about 160 degrees).

2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes.

3. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Beat in vanilla. Beat on Lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir in strawberry jam with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth. Frost cupcakes and top with your favorite summer fruit.

Strawberry Meringue Buttercream Frosting

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Contest Rules

My favorite summer dessert resolves around fresh ingredients. I have so many wonderful memories that involve picking berries and incorporating them into a sweet dessert and these vanilla cupcakes with a strawberry meringue buttercream frosting certainly top my list. See my recipe below for strawberry meringue buttercream frosting. It’s best paired with fresh berries and white cake.