Mini Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Hearts

I made this for Valentine's Day. This is very easy but it is very pretty when served!

*1 box Duncan Hines Devil's Food cake mix...made into cupcakes. (Or use the eggless chocolate cake recipe.) I used the tinfoil cupcake cups...made it easier in the end.
*Certain amount of strawberries
*Vanila Ice Cream or Strawberry Ice Cream
*Chocolate Sauce

Cut strawberries into hearts by cutting a small "v" in the stem end of the strawberry. Slice thinly. Sprinkle with a small amount of sugar and set aside.

Place cupcake upside down on plate. Put a small scoop of ice cream beside it. Surround with the "hearts" and drizzle with chocolate sauce...homemade or bought.
To make it extra special you could add a chocolate covered strawberry to the top of the cupcake.

White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

1-12 oz. bag white baking chips (about 2 cups)
1 tbsp. shortening
18 large strawberries with leaves
1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. shortening

Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. Heat white baking chips and 1 tbsp shortening in a saucepan over LOW heat, stirring constantly till melted.

For each strawberry, poke a toothpick into stem end, and dip 3/4 of the way into melted ships, leaving top of strawberry and leaves uncoated. Place on wax paper.

Heat semisweet chocolate chips and 1 tsp. shortening over low heat, stirring constantly.

Drizzle over white covered strawberries, using a small spoon. Refridgerate for about 30 minutes until set.

Variation: Switch the chocolates around.

HINT: Melt the drizzling chocolate in a small plastic bag in the microwave on defrost and keep squeezing the bag until the chips are all melted. Cut a corner off the bag and drizzle over berries.

HINT: Rinse strawberries with cool water just before you are ready to use them, and pat dry with paper towels. If you wash and then refrigerate the berries ahead of time, they will turn mushy!