The Best Birthday Cupcakes

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 24 paper cupcake liners, for cupcake pans
• 1 (18 1/2 ounce) package plain butter recipe cake mix
• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• frosting, of your choice (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350.
• 2 line cupcake pans with paper liners.
• 3 place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and blend on low speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. scrape sides of bowl; increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more. the batter should be smooth and thickened.
• 4 fill each cup 2/3 full and place in oven.
• 5 bake the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• 6 remove pans from oven and cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing cups from pans. cool completely before frosting.
• 7 eat as is or frost as desired.