Strawberry Cupcakes with Lemon Zest Cream Cheese Icing

Strawberry cake mix gets filled with homemade strawberry puree and baked in these strawberry shortcake-like cupcakes. They're topped with a lemony cream cheese icing, and for strawberry lovers, extra strawberry puree.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 392 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 box strawberry cake mix (such as Betty Crocker®)
• 0.5 cup vegetable oil
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 0.5 teaspoon lemon zest
• 0.5 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 0.5 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 0.25 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line 14 cupcake cups with paper liners.

Step 2

To make strawberry puree, pulse frozen strawberries in blender or food processor until evenly chopped. Add 2 tablespoons water, honey, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, and sugar. Blend until smooth.

Step 3

Beat cake mix, 1 cup water, eggs, and vegetable oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened; increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Beat lemon zest into batter. Fill prepared cupcake cups 2/3 full. Drop a spoonful of strawberry puree into the center of each portion of cupcake batter.

Step 4

Bake cupcakes in preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 18 to 22 minutes. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean. Let cupcakes cool for at least 30 minutes.

Step 5

To make icing, place cream cheese and butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in confectioners' sugar; blend in vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Refrigerate icing until cupcakes are cool enough to frost. Frost cooled cupcakes with icing.