Strawberry Cupcakes! :)

Before I developed my gluten allergy, strawberry cake was my absolute favorite! But, I had never made it from scratch before. Finally, about 4 and a half years later, I decided to make a gluten free version, and it was absolutely delicious! Yall are really going to like it! :)

http://www.cakemixdoctor.com/recipe/fresh-strawberry-cake-with-strawberry-cream-cheese-frosting/


For the cake:


* 2 cups (16 ounces) fresh strawberries
* 1 package (15 ounces) yellow gluten-free cake mix (I used the Betty Crocker gluten free yellow cake mix)
* 3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin (half of a 3-ounce package)
* ½ cup vegetable/canola oil
* 3 large eggs
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and line the cupcake tins.

2. Cut the green caps off the berries and mash the berries with a fork or place when in a food processor and pulse until you have a smooth puree, about 10 pulses. You need ¾ cup of pureed strawberries.

3.Place the cake mix and strawberry gelatin in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the strawberry puree, oil, eggs, and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, 1 to 1 ½ minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed.

4. Place batter in cupcake tins about 1/2 to 3/4 full.

5. The original recipe was for cake, I baked the cupcakes 18 minutes and they were perfect :) It made 18 cupcakes.


For the icing
( I used the recipe off the Philadelphia cream cheese website, http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/philadelphia-cream-cheese-frosting-50972.aspx )

*1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
*1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
*1 tsp. vanilla
*1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 cups), sifted

you might want to half the icing, because I had plenty left over!

1) Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended.

2) Add the sugar gradually, beating after each addition until well blended.


They were delicious! Highly recommended! :)