summer recipe

Easy strawberry cupcakes

makes: 24 cupcakes

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 18-22 minutes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 1 (15.25 ounce) package French Vanilla cake mix 
• 1/2 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup greek strawberry yogurt
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup diced fresh strawberries (about 10 medium berries)

For the strawberry buttercream:

• 4 sticks (2cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1.5 pounds (24 ounces or about 5.5 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• about 8 medium fresh strawberries, pureed (you'll need 4-5 tablespoons of puree)

Directions

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of  a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, Greek yogurt, oil, water, eggs and vanilla. Beat for about 2 minutes on medium speed until well combined. Fold in diced strawberries.
3. Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Allow the cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes. The cupcakes may develop a slight divot in the centre as they cool, but no worries, you'll cover that with delicious frosting.
5. Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare your frosting.

For the frosting:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes.
2. Turn the mixer down to low speed and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar until it is completely incorporated. Add in vanilla and 3 tablespoons of strawberry puree, mix until incorporated. turn off the mixer and heck the buttercream for taste and texture. gradually add in the  last 2 tablespoons of strawberry puree until you have reached the desired level of strawberry flavour. Please note that adding more than the required 5 tablespoons could result in a thinner frosting. turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the mixture for about 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy.
3. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and if desired, garnish with fresh strawberries

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