Independence Day Cupcakes

A light fluffy cupcake filled with cool vanilla pudding offers a light alternative to a traditional cupcake. Substitute applesauce for a healthy alternative to shortening.

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup vegetable shortening

• 3 egg whites

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup milk

• 1 (1 ounce) package instant sugar-free vanilla pudding mix

• 2 cups skim milk

• 1 (7 ounce) container light whipped cream

• 12 thinly sliced strawberries, or as needed

• 24 fresh blueberries

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

• Step 2

  With a pastry cutter, chop the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture becomes crumbly, then beat in the egg whites, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of milk to make a smooth batter. Spoon batter into the paper-lined cupcake cups, filling them about 2/3 full.

• Step 3

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 22 to 26 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.

• Step 4

  In a bowl, beat together the pudding mix and 2 cups of skim milk until the pudding is thickened, about 2 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes to finish thickening. Spoon the pudding into a pastry bag with a medium tip.

• Step 5

  To fill and decorate cupcakes, use a thin paring knife to cut a small hole, about 1/2 inch in diameter, into the top of a cupcake. Insert the knife about 3/4 of the way down into the cupcake, and remove the core. Use the pastry bag to fill the hole with pudding, piping in enough pudding to fill the hole flush with the top of the cupcake. Frost the tops of the filled cupcakes with light whipped cream, spreading it into a smooth layer.

• Step 6

  Place a blueberry in the center of each cupcake. Around the blueberry, arrange 5 slices of strawberry, pointed ends outward, to make a star shape. Store in refrigerator.

Coconut-Lime Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar

• 1 cup butter

• 4 eggs

• 1 tablespoon coconut extract

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 cup buttermilk

• ½ cup fresh lime juice

• 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated lime zest

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 36 cupcake cups with paper liners.

• Step 2

  Beat sugar and butter together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer until fluffy, about 10 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, adding coconut extract and vanilla extract with the last egg.

• Step 3

  Combine flour, 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and nutmeg in another bowl. Beat into the egg mixture until thoroughly combined; beat in buttermilk and lime juice. Stir in coconut and lime zest.

• Step 4

  Fill each of the prepared cupcake cups with about 1/4 cup of batter using a large cookie scoop.

• Step 5

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.