You can use this general idea to gussy up any cupcakes (or cake) that you make. I have become a bit obsessed with this! I have made everything from vanilla to chocolate to strawberry and even butter pecan cupcakes! Delicious and it is so flexible... works with whatever you happen to have in your pantry. Next up for me... lemon!
Gussied Up Cupcakes
1 box (15-18 oz) cake mix (any flavor)
1 box (3.4 oz) instant pudding mix (your choice for flavor combo)
1 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 large eggs
½ cup milk or half and half
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Beat all ingeredients together until smooth. Bake according to cake mix box instructions.
Optional add-ins
You can keep on adding in flavor and excitement! :) I always add in baking chips ie: white chocolate, butterscotch, semi-sweet or even Heath toffee chips. You can add in another ½ cup coffee or soda. You can add in other extracts - I have used Rum and also strawberry. You can add a 5th egg for extra richness. I have also used both an instant pudding and a jello gelatin mix for extra flavor - that also helps if you are adding in more liquid ingredients like coffee or soda.
You can frost them with a buttercream frosting that also has a lot of flexibility for your tastes...
Buttercream frosting
1 cup butter, slightly softened (but not melted)
2-3 tsp. vanilla extract (or the extract flavor of your choice)
4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. milk as needed (you may also use coffee, juice, soda...)
to make it chocolate, add in a few Tbsp. of unsweetened baking cocoa
