Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

The perfect cupcake for Spring.

Very seldom do I use a cake mix but in this case it works quite well. This is an easy peasy cupcake to make. I used the dry cake mix and then added different wet ingredients other than what is listed on the box. It just makes the cake seem a little more made from scratch. This strawberry cream cheese frosting is also an excellent choice for chocolate cupcakes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Strawberry Cupcake Ingredients:
1 strawberry cake mix, just the dry mix.  (I used Pillsbury Strawberry, super moist)
1/2 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup diced strawberries (dice and measure, then mash)

Dump dry cake mix into mixer bowl. Add melted butter, eggs, and milk. Mix for two minutes and then add mashed strawberries and blend together.

Bake on 350 degrees for 18 minutes.  Makes 24 cupcakes.  Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
1- 8 oz. cream cheese brick
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup diced strawberries (dice and measure, then mash, then drain off juice)

Cream butter. Add cream cheese and blend well.

Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and blend well. Add vanilla and blend well.

Before you add the mashed strawberries put them in a small mesh strainer and mash out the juice. If you have juice in the strawberries the frosting will get overly soft. Add mashed strawberries and mix until blended and creamy.