Strawberry Cupcakes

Years ago, I had my first bite of a strawberry cake. Pink, sweet, flavorful and delicious. It was unlike anything I had ever tasted! I mentioned it to my Grandma Metzger, and of course, she had a recipe for strawberry cake in her magic recipe box. This is often my cake of choice for my birthday, girls get togethers, baby showers or just because. For this recipe, I made cupcakes, but you can easily bake this is a 13×9 pan instead.

[recipe title=”Strawberry Cupcakes” difficulty=”easy”]

[recipe-ingredients]

Cake:

• 1 box white cake mix
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1 (3-oz) box of strawberry Jell-O
• 5 oz frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup cold water

Strawberry Syrup:

• 2 cups sliced & hulled fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 4 Tbsp Strawberry Syrup (recipe below), chilled
• 1-3 Tbsp milk
• Pinch of salt (optional)

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

1. To prepare the cake, preheat the oven to the recommended temperature on the cake box. Combine the cake mix, flour, and Jell-O in a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix on medium speed while adding the oil, eggs, and strawberries.
2. Mix well and pour into 12-cup muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. Bake the cake according to the package directions. Cool completely before frosting.
3. To prepare the strawberry syrup, combine the strawberries, water, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat and pour it into blender. Blend until smooth.
4. To prepare the frosting, cream the butter and the confectioners’ sugar together. Add the strawberry syrup, one Tbsp at a time, and the salt (if desired) and beat on high for 30 seconds, until fluffy. If it’s too thick, add the milk, one Tbsp at a time, until it’s the desired consistency.

[/recipe-directions]

[/recipe]