Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 3 oz cream cheese
• 3 tbsps strawberry preserves
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 °F (175 °C) (325 °F (160 °C) for dark or non-stick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 30 regular-size muffin cups.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder and mix well to blend.
3. Cut the butter into small pieces and place in food processor bowl along with 1/3 of the flour mixture. Cover and process until mixture is very fine. Make sure that the butter is completely evenly distributed in the flour mixture. If it isn't, your cakes will have uneven texture and each will turn out differently.
4. Return to bowl with remaining flour mixture and mix well using a wire whisk.
5. In large bowl, mix cake mix, water, sour cream, oil and eggs with spoon until well blended (batter will be thick). Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
6. In a small bowl, stir preserves until smooth. Divide the cream cheese into 30 equal parts. Place 1 piece of cream cheese on top of each cupcake; press into batter slightly. Spoon 1/4 measuring teaspoon preserves on top of cream cheese in each cupcake.
7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly in center (some preserves may show in tops of cupcakes). Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
8. Note: based on a recipe from Betty Crocker.