Gluten Free Strawberry Cupcakes

By msweeney

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (3 oz package) gluten free strawberry jello mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups gluten free flour mix
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4-6 strawberries; chopped and mashed or pureed to equal 1/2 cup
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 strawberry, chopped & mashed or pureed (1-2 Tablespoons)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
• milk if needed

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from glutenfreebetty.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin pan(s) with 12-15 cupcake
papers. In a large mixing bowl beat sugar, jello and eggs at medium speed for 1 minute. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Pour batter into the pans dividing evenly and filling each cupcake 2/3 full. I like to use my 1 1/2 Tablespoon cookie scoop and put 2 scoops of batter in each cupcake liner. Bake cupcakes in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of cupcake comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool for a few minutes and then remove them from the pan to finish cooling. Frost cooled cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting. (below)

Place cream cheese, butter and pureed strawberry in a mixing bowl and beat until combined. Mix in the lemon juice (optional but brightens up the flavor). Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined then turn mixer to high and beat for 1-2 minutes until frosting is light and creamy. Check the frosting's spreading consistency at this time. Cream cheese frosting tends to be on the soft side so you probably won't need any additional liquid. If the spreading consistency is too stiff mix in some milk 1 teaspoon at a time checking spreading consistency after each addition. Store frosting in the refrigerator until ready to use.

**The strawberry makes the frosting a pale pink. I added a little food coloring to make it brighter.