Real Strawberry Cupcakes

8 large fresh strawberries, or as needed

2 eggs

1 cup white sugar

⅓ cup vegetable oil

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix

1 drop red food coloring, or as needed

¾ cup cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, softened

½ cup confectioners sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large fresh strawberries, sliced

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray cupcake cups with cooking spray, or line with cupcake liners.

Place 8 strawberries into a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour the puree through a strainer to remove seeds. Puree should equal about 3/4 cup. Set the puree aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, white sugar, vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, lemon zest, and strawberry puree until well combined. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla pudding mix (for a moister cupcake), and red food coloring to reach a desired shade of pink. Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake in the preheated oven until the cupcakes have risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool at least 10 minutes before frosting.

To make frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, and mix in confectioners sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to make a lump-free icing. Frost each cupcake with about 2 tablespoons of icing, and top each cupcake with a strawberry slice.