Strawberry-Lemonade Cupcakes

This week I thought I would show you how to make some fun and yummy summer cupcakes. This is a small batch like all the baking on this blog, this time I got 6 cupcakes. I am using a boxed cake mix that I got at the regular grocery store. I did a post a little over a year ago to show you how to divide that box of cake mix to make small batches. Here is a link to that post if you need a refresher. I love to have a few boxes of mix in my cabinet divided and ready to bake a small batch of cupcakes. 

 

If you do remember that post it was my intention at the time I wrote it to give you a monthly cupcake recipe. Life kind of got in the way of my blogging around that time but now that I am back I am hoping to get you those monthly cupcakes.

Since the strawberries are so wonderful right now I decided to start off with something with strawberries in it. And I am currently loving pretty much anything with lemons in it so the Strawberry-Lemonade was the perfect choice.

We are starting with a plain yellow cake mix (well ⅓ of a box of cake mix) and we are making the cake part of the cupcake lemon flavor. I used the zest and the juice of a lemon to do this. I also added some vanilla extract (if you read that post about dividing the box of mix you know why) This gave a fairly mild lemon flavor. If you want a really strong lemon flavor you could also add some lemon extract to the batter in addition to the vanilla. We also need the ingredients that the cake mix calls for (scaled down to the ⅓ portion, again see the post on dividing for the cake mix)

I like to use my ice cream scoop to portion out my batter, that way all the cupcakes end up the same size. Then bake using the time and temperature given on your cake mix box (mine was 20 minutes at 350°F)

Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

The frosting is where the strawberry is coming into play. I like to use an all vegetable shortening in my frosting, I like the neutral flavor it has. I find that butter can over power the flavor of frosting many times. You can use either one, it is up to you.

This frosting has very few ingredients: powdered sugar, shortening (or butter), strawberry jam and a tiny bit of red gel food coloring. That's it, just 4 ingredients and it is so yummy.

Strawberry-Lemonade Cupcakes

⅓ of a box of yellow cake mix

the zest of 1 lemon

⅓ cup of lemon juice plus water (see the recipe below)

1 egg

3 ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Start by preheating your oven to the temperature your box of cake mix calls for, mine was 350°F. Line your cupcake pan with paper liners or grease really well.

Zest and juice your lemon, measure the juice you get from your lemon and add water to make ⅓ cup.

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice/water mixture, egg, oil and vanilla in a mixing bowl and combine well.

Add the cake mix and beat for up to 90 seconds.

Portion into cupcake pan and bake according to instructions on your cake mix. Mine was baked at 350°F for about 20 minutes.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes then move to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Frosting

1 ½ cups powdered (confectioners) sugar

2 ½ Tablespoons shortening or butter

3 Tablespoons strawberry Jam

red gel food coloring (if desired)

 

Using a mixer blend together the powdered sugar and shortening until well combined. Add the jam and mix until smooth. Add a few drops of red gel food coloring if desired to make a pretty deep pink color.

Spread frosting on cupcakes. 

 

As a side note I had just a bit of frosting left over and decided to use it as a dip for pretzels. It was so yummy and a great use for leftover frosting.

So any ideas on what cupcake I have planned for next month??