Page 270 - Cupcakes

2 cups vegetable oil

8 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 recipes Cream Cheese Frosting (page 336, see “the Cupcake Doctor says”)
50 fresh blueberries

33 medium strawberries, rinsed, drained, patted dry, and stemmed, or 17 large
strawberries, cleaned, stemmed, and cut vertically in half

the CupcakeDoctor says...

Prepare the cake batter in two large bowls, side by side, or dump all the
ingredients into an extra-large bowl, but take care that the mixer is able to
combine all the ingredients well, even those at the bottom of the bowl. You
will probably need to bake these cupcakes in two batches as well. Don’t
begin frosting until all the cupcakes have cooled.
If you are assembling this dessert within an hour or so of serving, why not
frost the cupcakes with Sweetened Whipped Cream (page 349)? In the
summertime, there is nothing more delightful than whipped cream and fresh
berries.

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 48

cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mixes, pudding mixes, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a very
large mixing bowl (see “the Cupcake Doctor says”). Blend with an electric mixer
on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the
bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2
minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Spoon or scoop a

heaping ¼ cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way
full. (You will get between 42 and 48 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.)
Place the pans in the oven.

3. Bake the cupcakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly
pressed with your finger, 16 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and
place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. (Leave the oven on if baking in