Strawberry Valentine Cupcakes Recipe

 Just in time for Valentine's Day, my wonderful {and unfortunate Michigan fan} friend Shawna is sharing a yummy cupcake recipe today! I know, I know. But do yourself a favor and look past her unfortunate taste in collegiate teams and try this recipe! :) 

Hi there! I’m Shawna from Doe Loves Buck. Katie might be Spartan fan and we may never see eye to eye when it comes to college football,  but when she said she needed a little vacation, I decided to let her kick back, relax and let take over her blog. She initially rejected my first blog post (someday she will see the light and come around... ) so I had to go with my next post.. Plan B.. Which I have to admit it is a little tastier than the one she rejected.  It’s no secret that I love cupcakes and what better way to celebrate my love for them than a special Valentine’s Day treat. Let's jump right in shall we?

 

Here’s what you need:

- Cupcake ingredients -

1 pint fresh strawberries

1 (18 oz) White cake mix (WITH NO PUDDING IN THE MIX- THIS IS VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT!!)

1 box (4 serving size) strawberry gelatin mix

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

 

- Frosting ingredients -

1 package of cream cheese (8 ounces)

8 tablespoons of stick butter

1/2 cup mashed strawberries

3 cups powdered sugar.

Now follow these steps:

Begin by preheating your oven to 350’. Pour the contents of the cake mix into a large bowl. Next throw the box on the floor. Whatever you do - Do not follow the instructions on the back of it. We don’t need them. They are useless.

Next using a fork (or a puree) mash up 1 ½ cup strawberries.  After you have mashed it to almost nothing, dump it in the bowl with the cake mix. Including any strawberry juice left behind.

Now add in the gelatin, eggs, vegetable oil, and milk. Mix until you can’t mix anymore. (Side note: It’s actually okay if a tiny bit of the cake mix is lumpy. Cake mix is made to compensate for that {human error}. Eventually It will work its way out during the baking process.)

Using an ice cream scoop (or a large spoon) place the batter into your cupcake papers. After you have filled them up a little more than half way throw them in the oven.

Turn down the temperature to 325’ and bake for about 25 minutes or until it clears the tooth pick test.

While the cupcakes are cool we are going to make our frosting. Mix together COLD cream cheese, butter, ½ cup mashed strawberries and 3 cups powdered sugar. The key here is no over mixing. You over mix and your frosting is more of a glaze.

When the cupcakes are nice and cool, it’s time to frost them! I am a big fan of cream cheese frosting, so I am not stingy when I spread it on there.

Once they are all frosted it’s time to enjoy!  They taste even better if you take a picture of yourself enjoying the yumminess on instagram and tag Miss Katie! (example here)