Sweet Tooth Tuesday: Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

*Cupcake base*

1 cake mix (yellow or white)             

1 C. flour                                            

1 C. sugar 
3/4 tsp salt                                          
3 eggs

1 1/3 C. water (juice your lemon for part of the water)                                   

1 C. sour cream or plain yogurt        

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp Lemonade or lemon extract
1 C. diced fresh strawberries (optional)
Zest from 1 lemon

Mix ingredients together adding strawberries last so they keep their shape and are not smooshed. Fill cupcake papers ¾ of the way full. Bake 18-22 minutes.

*The reason the lemonade extract is the best is it is sweeter than the lemon giving the sweet taste not the tart taste.  Makes at least 36 cupcakes.

*Strawberry Frosting*

4 oz cream cheese
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. diced fresh strawberries (start with ½ C. but you can add up to 1 Cup)

6 C. powdered sugar (you might need more if your strawberries are juicy)

1-2 tsp strawberry extract

(my mom says 1 tsp of lemon extract with the strawberry is awesome!!)

Mix everything together and if it is too soft add more powdered sugar. If you want all butter no cream cheese it will be really soft so you might have to add tons more powdered sugar. The cream cheese helps to keep it more stable.

If you add a cute cut strawberry on top add right before serving or dip it in chocolate and only let the chocolate part touch the frosting or you will get strawberry juice all over. 

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