Real Strawberry Cupcake Nutrients

Calories: 295

Sodium: 249g

Fat: 14.1g

Saturated fat: 0

Trans fat: 0

Calories from fat: 172g

Servings: 12 cupcakes (1 cupcake)

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix  (optional)

1 drop red food coloring, or as needed  (optional)

3/4 cup cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large fresh strawberries, sliced

Cook: 25 mins  Ready in: 1 hr 15 mins 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray cupcake cups with cooking spray, or line with cupcake liners.

2. Place 8 strawberries into a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour the puree through a strainer to remove seeds. Puree should equal about 3/4 cup. Set the puree aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, white sugar, vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, lemon zest, and strawberry puree until well combined. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla pudding mix (for a moister cupcake), and red food coloring to reach a desired shade of pink. Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until the cupcakes have risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool at least 10 minutes before frosting.

5. To make frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, and mix in confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to make a lump-free icing. Frost each cupcake with about 2 tablespoons of icing, and top each cupcake with a strawberry slice.