Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

It's time for the Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake! If you missed the first post, explaining how I ended up making 3 different cupcake flavors in one day, see it here! 

 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Adapted from Betty Crocker


1 box  yellow cake mix
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
3 Tb strawberry preserves
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, cut into 24 pieces 

Cream Cheese Frosting
The Double Dipped Life 

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1/4 lb butter, softened

1 teas vanilla

2 teas coconut extract

4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy.  Add vanilla and coconut extracts.  Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. I use all 4 cups.

Toppings:

Sliced Strawberries
I used Strawberry Sugar from Orcas Alchemy
 
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, mix cake mix, sour cream, oil, water and eggs with spoon until well blended (batter will be thick). Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

In small bowl, stir preserves until smooth. Place 1 piece of cream cheese on top of each cupcake; press into batter slightly. Spoon 1/4 measuring teas preserves on top of cream cheese in each cupcake.

Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly in center (some preserves may show in tops of cupcakes). Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spread frosting over cupcakes. Just before serving, garnish each cupcake with strawberry slices. Store covered in refrigerator.

Enjoy!