Many years ago, when the food network had actual recipes – I saw this recipe on Trisha Yearwood’s show. It was so intriguing – the dry jello mix gets added to a box cake mix and it has real strawberries in it – so it’s practically a salad. This recipe has been a family staple ever since, it’s the only recipe I use boxed cake mix in but nothing else seems to work as well.

Step 1- buy a white box cake mix, 3 oz strawberry jello packet and some frozen strawberries in syrup (not the regular frozen kind) -defrost the strawberries

Step 2: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a wooden spoon – beat together the cake mix, jello , 2/3 cup of oil, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of the strawberries

Step 3: Divide batter into 24 cupcakes and bake at 350 for 20 min

Step 4: Make frosting- In a blender – make an emulsion of 4 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup of the frozen strawberries and 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar. This takes a while – at least 3-5 minutes.

Cool cakes, frost and eat many of them. They are tart and spongy and irresistible