Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes {Recipe}

As of this afternoon I got sixteen emails asking for the Strawberries and Cream cupcakes recipe I posted about on Valentine's Day.  I wish I were cool enough to say I came up with it on my own, but the truth is it's from this cookbook, just slightly modified.  I love that it's kind of semi-homemade....it uses a box of cake mix, and a container of frosting - doesn't get much easier than that!

These really are quite possibly the best cupcakes I've ever had - super light and airy, and the perfect strawberry flavor; not too much and not "fake" strawberry.

You will need:

1 box of white cake mix (I used Betty Crocker, but don't think it matters)

1 1/4 cup strawberry soda (I used Fanta)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 large egg whites
1 snack cup of vanilla pudding

Pink food coloring (optional)

1 container cream cheese frosting

1/4 cup strawberry jam

Fresh strawberries, for garnish (optional)

Pink prinkles, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1.)  Heat stove to 350, line muffin tray with cupcake liners (pink zebra print not required, but extra cute!)  Make and bake cake mix as directed on the box ( mix cake mix, oil, egg whites, pudding, soda and 1 - 2 drops food coloring; bake 16 - 21 minutes in a 350 oven), substituting the strawberry soda for the water.  Cool for about 30 minutes.

2.)  Mix strawberry jam into cream cheese frosting - YUMMMMMMMY; frost cupcakes

3.)  Optional steps:  add sliced strawberries, sprinkles or cupcake toppers and voila - yummy, yummy cupcakes that everyone will love!