Strawberry Cupcakes

These strawberry cupcakes use strawberry-flavored diet soda to turn a yellow cake mix into a light, fruit-flavored batter. Fresh chopped berries and whipped topping are added only after the cakes cool, so the crumb stays tidy and the garnish tastes fresh. The recipe makes 24 modest cupcakes, useful when a full-size layer cake would be difficult to portion.

Recipe at a glance

• Yield: 24 cupcakes
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Bake time: 18–23 minutes
• Cooling time: 45–60 minutes
• Equipment: two 12-cup muffin pans, paper liners, large bowl, hand mixer or whisk, scoop, cutting board, and piping bag or spoon

Ingredients

• 1 box (about 15 ounces/425 g) sugar-free yellow cake mix
• 1 can (12 fluid ounces/355 ml) strawberry-flavored diet soda
• 1 pint (about 340 g) fresh strawberries
• 1 cup (about 4 ounces/115 g) thawed fat-free whipped topping, plus more if a generous swirl is desired

Make the cupcakes

1. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. If only one pan is available, bake in two rounds and let the empty pan cool before refilling it.
2. Place the dry cake mix in a large bowl. Pour in the strawberry soda slowly; it will foam at first. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape the bowl, then mix for 90 seconds more. Stop when the batter is even in color and no dry pockets remain.
3. Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about halfway. A scant 3 tablespoons per cup is a useful starting amount. Avoid overfilling because this thin batter needs room to rise.
4. Bake for 18–23 minutes, rotating the pans front to back after 15 minutes. The cupcakes are ready when their tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out without wet batter.
5. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then move the cupcakes to a rack. Let them cool completely before topping.

Prepare the topping

1. Rinse the strawberries, dry them thoroughly, remove the leafy tops, and cut the fruit into small pieces. Moisture on the berries can thin the topping.
2. Spoon or pipe a ring of whipped topping around the edge of each cupcake. Fill the center with about 1 tablespoon chopped strawberries. Garnish close to serving time for the cleanest appearance.

Useful cues and variations

Box sizes and soda brands vary, so use the visual tests instead of relying only on time. If the tops sink deeply, the cakes may have been removed before the center set or the oven door may have opened too early. Allow the soda foam to settle as you mix, but do not continue beating after the batter becomes smooth.

Raspberry-flavored soda and fresh raspberries make an easy variation. Regular whipped topping also works. Do not fold fresh berries into this particular batter; their additional water can make the already light crumb gummy. For cleaner transport, carry the cooled cupcakes, topping, and berries separately and assemble at the destination.

Storage

Untopped cupcakes keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months. Once topped with whipped topping and fruit, cover and refrigerate them, and use within 2 days. Do not leave the topped cupcakes at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F (32°C).