Vanilla Cupcakes With Strawberry Frosting

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes

•  1 box Vanilla Cake Mix (I use Duncan Hines French Vanilla)
•  3 Large Eggs
•  1/2 cup butter, melted
•  1 cup of water

Strawberry Buttercream

•  1/2 cup butter, softened
•  1/2 cup shortening
•  2 teaspoon clear vanilla
•  2½ teaspoon strawberry flavored gelatin (jello powder)
•  5 cups powdered sugar
•  4-5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
•  4 strawberries, diced (+ extra strawberries for optional garnish)

Instructions

For Vanilla Cupcakes:

1. Heat oven to 350° and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, butter, and water using an electric mixer on low for one minute, then mix on high for one minute.
3. Divide batter evenly into cupcake liners, filling each two-thirds full.
4. Bake for 20 minutes and cool completely.

For Strawberry Buttercream:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and shortening for 2 minutes on high.
2. Add vanilla extract and gelatin.
3. Slowly add powdered sugar then whipping cream until you reach your desired consistency.
4. Fold in strawberries and beat on low just until combined.
5. Pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes, garnish with fresh strawberries or sprinkles.

Notes

Cupcakes with buttercream can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days (as long as your house isn’t too warm – try to keep in the coolest room then or store in the fridge as explained below.

Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an air-tight container (deep enough to hold your cupcakes) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Take the cupcakes out of the fridge, remove them from the container and let them sit at room temperature for at least an hour before serving.

Unfrosted cupcakes will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For make-ahead cupcakes, cover completely cooled unfrosted vanilla cupcakes individually with plastic wrap then place in a freezer-safe plastic bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before frosting. Remove plastic wrap and let them come to room temperature on the counter.

Vanilla Cupcakes & Pink Strawberry Frosting Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes:

• Vanilla Cake Mix – I use my favorite Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake mix, doctored up like I usually do, with butter in place of the oil.
• Large Eggs – You will use the number of eggs directed on the box.
• Melted Butter & Water – is there anything that doesn’t taste better with butter?! This is the key to creating that made from scratch taste.

For The Buttercream:

• Butter –  Do not substitute butter for margarine. This recipe is best with real butter (it’s BUTTERCREAM after all). Additionally, make sure you allow the butter to come to room temperature before using it. Room temp butter is still cool to the touch, yet your finger should be able to make an indent in the butter without sinking.
• Shortening – Pure hydrogenated vegetable oil is solid at room temperature. It gives your frosting stability and a good texture for piping and creating roses.
• Clear Vanilla – Using clear vanilla will give your buttercream a “clean” white base for the pretty pink coloring.   
• Strawberry Flavored Jello – You are not going to make jello, only add the powder to the frosting.
• Powdered Sugar – Cool, smooth, and not gritty like regular sugar is the base and sweetness for this strawberry frosting.
• Heavy Whipping Cream – This is the secret for incorporating more air into the buttercream for a rich, super fluffy, silky smooth frosting.
• Pink Gel Food Coloring: This is optional, but makes for pretty pink frosting.
• Fresh Strawberries – washed, drained, and finely diced with extra strawberries (if you’d like to use them as garnish too)

How To Make Cupcakes With Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

PREP: Preheat oven to 350° F and line muffin pans with cupcake liners (makes 24).

CAKE MIX: It is so easy and convenient to simply combine the cake mix, eggs, butter, and water in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Fill the lined muffin tins ⅔ way full and pop into a 350° preheated oven. In 20 minutes, the vanilla cupcakes are done and ready to be iced once they are completely cooled.

BAKE: Fill the lined muffin tins ⅔ way full and pop them into the preheated oven for 20 minutes. The vanilla cupcakes need to cool completely before frosting with buttercream.

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM: Beat the butter and shortening, then add the vanilla extract and gelatin. Once well incorporated, slowly add the powdered sugar, then the whipping cream until you reach your desired consistency.

Fold in the strawberries and beat on low just until combined. Spread or add frosting to a piping bag and frost strawberry buttercream onto completely cooled cupcakes. Garnish with strawberries or sprinkles.

How To Store Cupcakes

Cupcakes with buttercream can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days (as long as your house isn’t too warm – try to keep in the coolest room then or store in fridge as explained below)

Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an air-tight container (deep enough to hold your cupcakes) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Take the cupcakes out of the fridge, remove them from the container and let them sit at room temperature for at least an hour before serving.

Unfrosted cupcakes will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For make-ahead cupcakes, cover completely cooled unfrosted vanilla cupcakes individually with plastic wrap then place in a freezer-safe plastic bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before frosting. Remove plastic wrap and let them come to room temperature on the counter.

Popular Substitutions & Additions For Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

• If you’re a chocolate lover, I would use a dark chocolate fudge cake mix.
• Optional: If you don’t happen to have a box cake mix on hand, try my favorite Vanilla Bean Cupcake recipe. 
• You can decorate your cupcakes with sprinkles, coconut flakes or mini chocolate chips.
• For extra pizzazz, drizzle some chocolate glaze over strawberry frosting.
• If you prefer, you can use regular vanilla instead of clear vanilla in pink strawberry frosting.
• Add a little pink gel food color to the cake batter if you’d like pink cupcakes.
• Mini cupcakes are always fun and cute! You can easily make this recipe in a mini muffin tin. You will want to reduce the baking time to about 11-14 minutes.