Galentine’s Day: On February 13, Galentine's Day is celebrated as a day for "ladies celebrating ladies."

So clearly, cupcakes are in order! And good news, these Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes pair perfectly with champagne and hours of girl talk.

Chocolate covered strawberries seem to be the go-to on Valentine's Day. Well, not to be a party pooper, but I’m not a huge fan. As much as I love chocolate and strawberries together, the simple combination leaves me lacking in excitement. I crave something with texture, a richer flavor, and a more satisfying finish. I crave frosting.

So here’s an update for the classic chocolate and strawberry combo: Strawberry chocolate chip cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting. Yes…let’s celebrate us with these beautiful bundles of love.

This idea came from Kodiak Cakes new Strawberry Chocolate Chip Power Cake waffle mix. I make waffles for my family every weekend using Kodiak Cakes. I love the hearty taste of whole grains and the wholesome ingredients used. It fuels my kids for the day. When I saw the new strawberry chocolate chip flavor I jumped for joy. The strawberry flavor is divine. It was like dessert for breakfast, and a healthy dessert no less. We topped the waffles with fresh strawberries, chocolate chips, and maple syrup. We were in heaven.

So, naturally, I had to take this mix to the next level, and turn it into a deliciously sweet and wholesome cupcake that my gal pals and I could indulge in, with slightly less guilt.

Taking waffles to cupcakes requires a few additions. I wanted a soft, fluffy cake like texture, while still taking advantage of the whole grains and protein in the mix. I added the usual staples, like butter, egg whites, sour cream and buttermilk, to help make the cupcakes rich and super moist. I needed a bit of all purpose flour to lighten them up and make them less muffin-like. But the magic ingredient added, that brought them over the top, is strawberry puree.

The puree is made from blended fresh strawberries cooked down, intensifying the flavor, and mixed into the batter. This gave the cupcakes an extra boost of sweet strawberries, naturally. These cupcakes are on the healthier side, being made with Kodiak Cakes, so I simply stuck with the theme. But all that went out the window when I added the chocolate cream cheese frosting… Ladies, prepare yourselves.

The strawberry cupcakes were subtly sweet with small bits of chocolate from the Kodiak Cakes mix. I wanted to finish them off with a tangy twist of cream cheese and decadent cocoa. I swapped out half the butter for a block of cream cheese in my favorite chocolate buttercream recipe and voila. A love match indeed. The frosting is creamy, rich, not overly sugary, and pure bliss. Just the satisfying finish I wanted.

These cupcakes are how I want to spend Galentine’s Day, Valentine’s Day, pretty much any day.

Strawberry Puree

You’ll need:

• 1 pound of fresh or frozen thawed strawberries

1. Puree the strawberries in a food processor.

2. Pour the puree in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. The puree should reduce by half and develop a rich color. Allow the puree to cool completely before adding it to the batter.

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Makes about 24-28 cupcakes

You’ll need:

• 1 1/2 cups Kodiak Cakes Strawberry and Chocolate Chip Flapjack Mix

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks} unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

• 4 large egg whites

• 1 large egg

• 1/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or whole milk), at room temperature

• 1/2 cup strawberry puree, cooled to room temperature

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Kodiak Cakes Strawberry and Chocolate Chip Flapjack Mix, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, on medium high speed, till light and fluffy. About 3 minutes.

4. Add the egg and egg whites and mix on medium speed till incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.

5. Add the sour cream and vanilla. Mix on medium speed till combined.

6. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients. Mix till just combined. Scrape down the bowl.

7. With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk. Mix till just combined. Do not over mix.

8. Stir in the strawberry puree with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

9. Using a spoon or ice cream scooper, fill each cupcake paper 2/3 full. Bake for about 17-18 minutes, till a center tester comes out clean.

10. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then let them cool completely on a wire rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces (1 block) full fat cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes.

2. Add the cocoa powder and mix till combined. Scrape down the bowl.

3. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Mix well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl.

4. Add the vanilla, heavy cream, and kosher salt. Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

5. Frost each cupcake generously.

Enjoy!

Note: To add a little sparkle to my cupcakes I sprayed them with edible gold luster dust from Wilton. This can be found at your local craft store.