EASY delicious strawberry cupcakes recipe by kb-thatsme 'recipe of the day'....kicking up cake mix!!!

I love baking from scratch but sometimes I like to do something quick and easy to enjoy with my family! Strawberry cake/ cupcakes is one of our household favorites. So I've come up with a simple way to make this cake mix taste like it was straight from grandma's oven to your lips. So let's get started. 

Here's what you'll need:

For the cake....

1 box of strawberry supreme cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)

3 large eggs

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk 

1 stick of margarine or butter (melted)

1/2 (3 oz.) box of instant vanilla pudding

1 cup strawberries (chopped into small pieces) 

For the frosting...

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

1/2 stick of margarine or butter

3-4 cups of powdered sugar (for desired thickness)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsps strawberry extract

For sugared strawberries (optional)...

1 small container of fresh strawberries

1 egg white (beaten until frothy)

1/4 cup of sugar

red sprinkles (optional)

makes 1 & 1/2 to 2 doz

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven 350. Put cupcake liners in muffin pan & set aside. Add all cake ingredients (except strawberries) into a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 mins. Fold in chopped strawberries. Pour into prepared muffin pan. Bake in preheated oven 13-15 mins or until toothpick inserted come out clean.

2.) For the frosting: add ingredients in a large bowl with only 1 cup of powdered sugar. Beat on high until ingredients are incorporated, adding in 1 cup of sugar at a time until desired consistency is reached. (I like my frosting thick so that it looks pretty when I pipe it onto the cupcakes & it doesn't fall because it's to soft)

3.) For sugared strawberries: dipped the strawberries into the egg white, let excess run off. Then dip in the sugar (make sure they are completely coated in sugar). Place on a piece of wax paper to dry for 10-15 mins.

4.) Frost cupcakes or pipe on frosting (I like to use a 1M tip). Sprinkle on red sprinkles & top with a sugared strawberry if desired and Enjoy!!