Ingredients
- 1 package (18.5 ounces) plain butter recipe golden cake mix
- 1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Chocolate Syrup Frosting or Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Colored sprinkles or candy cake decorations, for garnish
- Birthday candle and candle holder
Preparation
Step 1
1. Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees . Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set pans aside.
2. Place cake mix, cream cheese, sugar, oil, water, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low speed with electric mixer for 30 seconds, until ingredients are well blended, then stop machine and scrape down sides. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more, scraping down sides again if needed. Batter should be smooth and thickened. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each lined muffin cup, filling it two-thirds full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove empty liners, if any.) Place pans in oven.
3. Bake cupcakes until lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with finger, 24 to 27 minutes. Remove pans from oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run dinner knife around edges of cupcake liners, lift cupcakes up from bottoms of the cups using end of knife, and pick them out of cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the Chocolate Syrup Frosting or Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting.
5. Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread it out with short metal spatula or spoon, taking care to cover tops completely.
Sprinkle sprinkles over frosting and place birthday candle in candle holder in cupcake for birthday boy or girl. (If using Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting, place cupcakes, uncovered or in cake saver, in refrigerator until frosting sets, 20 minutes.) Cupcakes are ready to serve.
Store either strawberry-frosted cupcakes or chocolate frosted cupcakes, in a cake saver or under glass dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze them, wrapped in foil or in cake saver for up to 6 months. Thaw cupcakes overnight in refrigerator before serving.