strawberry cupcakes with lemon zest cream cheese icing

Ingredients

• Servings: 14
• strawberry puree:
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• cupcake batter:
• 1 box strawberry cake mix (such as betty crocker®)
• 1 cup water
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• lemon zest cream cheese icing:
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Recipe

Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 30 mins


• preheat oven to 325 degrees f (165 degrees c). line 14 cupcake cups with paper liners.
• to make strawberry puree, pulse frozen strawberries in blender or food processor until evenly chopped. add 2 tablespoons water, honey, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, and sugar. blend until smooth.
• beat cake mix, 1 cup water, eggs, and vegetable oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened; increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. beat lemon zest into batter. fill prepared cupcake cups 2/3 full. drop a spoonful of strawberry puree into the center of each portion of cupcake batter.
• bake cupcakes in preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 18 to 22 minutes. a toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean. let cupcakes cool for at least 30 minutes.
• to make icing, place cream cheese and butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. mix in confectioners' sugar; blend in vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest. refrigerate icing until cupcakes are cool enough to frost. frost cooled cupcakes with icing.