Is it really only Monday? It's really amazing how stay at home moms can juggle several kids, chores, laundry, appointments, get food in everybody's belly 3 times a day and yet still have no idea what day of the week it is...seriously. As I was planning out things that need to be done this week and activities that are going on I had to pause for a moment....wait is only Monday? For real? Apparently I have completely lost my sense of routine around here..or maybe it's just that I'm really looking forward to this coming weekend and next week's activities and I was in denial. :) Either way, it' still Monday.
A neighbor of ours asked me this morning if I had any quick and easy dessert ideas for a last minute meeting tonight. Why yes, actually a whole blog full lol. As I looked to the cupboards for a quick fix I remembered I have been needing to share these cupcakes for awhile now. I have been asked for this recipe many times...and I've just never got around to sharing it here.
Lot's of people come to me asking what strawberry cake I use, because they've just had no luck with different recipes they have tried. I also tried many strawberry recipes and just didn't have any luck. Fresh strawberries just didn't bring the sweetness I was looking for and the box stuff wasn't perfect either. Until I happened to come across some strawberry creme Jell-o pudding to! It made a really great cake mix add in and it was so good when we taste tested it I thought why not fill the cupcake with it too?! Everybody seemed to love it and always wanted to know what is in the center. I always get a kick out of their surprise when I say it's pudding. Why does everybody assume baking has to be so complex?!
So here's the stars of my strawberry creme cupcakes. If your looking for something fun and a little different these cupcakes will do! Do you remember those strawberry creme lifesavers they use to make with a white and pink swirl....that's what it reminds me of. Super yummy. I have made this cake many many times and I have found that not all grocery stores carry it, but I have had great luck at finding it in Wal-Mart no matter the state I'm in.
I like Pillsbury for this flavor of cake, it has this little bit of strawberry in it. I like to pair the strawberry cupcake with a white vanilla buttercream but if your a huge fan of strawberry I would try mixing in a packet of Duncan Hines Strawberry Shortcake Frosting Creations. I also generally top these with a fresh slice of strawberry which of course I was out of today...and just about every other red thing I could think of! I came across some left over nips from the apple pretzels and ended up cutting out little strawberries with a circle and star cutter..not bad for last minute :).
Ready to whip up some strawberry sweetness?
Here's what your going to need:
Cupcake
1 Box strawberry cake
1/2 Box of Strawberry creme Jell-o
(Note: you will need 2 boxes of strawberry creme pudding total)
1 Cup Water
4 Eggs
1/3 Cup Oil
1/2 cup sour cream
Filling
1 1/2 Box Strawberry Creme Jell-o pudding
3 Cups milk
Icing
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup crisco
1 TBS vanilla
8 cups powdered sugar (1 2lb bag)
4-6 TBS milk
Makes 24 cupcakes.
Preheat oven to 350.
Step 1: Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake wrappers. Mix together cake mix, 1/2 box pudding, water, eggs, oil, and sour cream. You can measure out the pudding packet if you'd like but I just kind of eye it.
Step 2: Spoon 3 TBS of batter into each cupcake liner. This batter will be thick.
Step 3: Bake at 350 for about 16 minutes. The cupcakes will just be starting to brown on the top and a toothpick will come out clean of course. Place on a cooling rack to cool.
Step 4: While cupcakes are cooling pour 1 1/2 boxes of pudding into a bowl, add 3 cups of milk. Beat for two minutes. Sit in the fridge to set for about 15 minutes while the cupcakes are cooling.
Step 5: Once cupcakes are cool use an large round icing tips to create room to fill you cupcakes. (More shown here)
Step 6: Place the firmed pudding into a piping bag with a round tip and fill cupcakes. To fill start with tip inserted in cupcake and pull up while applying pressure, do this slowly.
Now for the icing.
Step 7: Beat together crisco and unsalted butter. When blended well add vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar until fully combined. Now add in milk one TBS at a time until desired consistency. Pipe on to cupcakes.
Please note that these cupcakes will need to be stored in the fridge until close to serving time, warm pudding is no good ;) That was pretty easy right? I love making treats from such regular ingredients and are so quick even us stay at home moms covered in paint and stuck to a toddler can make...even if we don't know what day of the week it is. After all aren't cupcakes good any day of the week?
Happy Baking!