This is my go to cupcake recipe. I have literally been using this recipe for years. If you come to a birthday party for my kids these are the cupcakes you will be served.
Years ago my mother-in-law gifted me with this amazing cupcake cookbook called he Cupcakes from the Cake Mix Doctor. Her cupcake recipes are what I would call a semi-homemade, as they start off with a boxed cake mix, and as the name suggests, you doctor it up. I love to pair this recipe with with the Chocolate Buttercream Icing recipe or the regular Homemade Buttercream Icing recipe.
Here is how you make them.
You’ll Need: 1 pkg plain butter golden boxed cake mix 1 8oz pkg reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup vegetable oil 4 large eggs 1 T vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix the cake mix, cream cheese, sugar, water, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl on low speed until well blended and then kick it up to a medium speed. I love to use my free standing electric mixer. Stop the mixer to scrape the sides if needed. Continue to mix until smooth and well blended. (Here are some more tricks to doctoring up your boxed cake mix.)
Line your muffin pan with cupcake liners. I like to use a medium sized melon-type scooper to fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Usually this is one and a half scoops.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes. Use a knife or toothpick to ensure the center is done before removing them from the oven.
Transfer them to a wire rack where they will cool completely before you ice them.
This recipe makes 24 standard size cupcakes. They are dense and incredibly delish!
Once cool, ice your cupcake and decorate with a cool cupcake topper like these lego candies, or for an extra treat try cookies on a stick or even embellish with simple figurines and loot as we did for the pirate cupcakes.
Before the party add a fun candle and you’re sure to have an amazingly fun birthday party.
Making the cupcakes for my kids parties is seriously one of my favorite parts of the party. I want them to always remember how much fun we have celebrating them. Just know, once your guests taste these, they will always expect them at every party!
More Birthday Party Resources
Tricks to Make a Boxed Cake Mix Better
How to Throw a Birthday Party on a Budget
Kelly at Kelly's Lucky You says
March 8, 2011 at 8:21 pmThey look delicious!! I love dense cupcakes.
Lindsay @ Laughing Lindsay says
March 8, 2011 at 8:54 pmI’m drooling on my keyboard! I LOVE cupcakes! Thanks for sharing this recipe. 😀
Andrea @ The Greenbacks Gal says
March 8, 2011 at 9:28 pmFirst – love the new look! Second – I challenge you to a cupcake off! My cupcake versus yours.
Crystal says
March 9, 2011 at 6:47 amAndrea- thanks so much. I really like the new look as well.
Cupcake off? You’ve got it. What’s your recipe?
Cindy Schultz says
March 8, 2011 at 9:32 pmSounds yummy!
pammypam says
March 9, 2011 at 9:01 aman ice cream scoop? ingenious!
Brandy says
March 9, 2011 at 10:54 amThis sounds like a great recipe, thanks for sharing.
Lisa says
March 9, 2011 at 5:20 pmI never thought of doctoring up my box recipe. Thanks!
Crystal says
March 11, 2011 at 4:07 pmIt really is a yummy recipe. You would never guess it started off as a box mix! 🙂
megan says
March 10, 2011 at 7:54 pmthey sounds delicious!
megan
craftycpa.blogspot.com
ConnieFoggles says
March 12, 2011 at 12:57 amThey look yummy, especially the way they puff up when they’re out of the oven.
Krista @ While He Was Napping says
March 12, 2011 at 6:54 pmThis looks delicious! I’d like to invite you to link it up to my Recipe Exchange! It would be a wonderful addition. Hope to see you there!
Krista
Regina says
March 13, 2011 at 11:02 amWow, cream cheese for the liquid…interesting and I am going to give it a try! Thanks for sharing! BTW…visiting from NightOwlCrafting linkies 🙂
Crystal says
March 14, 2011 at 8:56 pmRegina- the cream cheese makes them so….. wonderful! 🙂 You’ve gotta try it.
Thanks for stopping by.
Mama Bee Does says
March 14, 2011 at 1:13 pmI’ll be trying this recipe. Thank you!
Kelli @ 3 Boys and a Dog says
March 17, 2011 at 9:56 amI always just use a box… what a fabulous idea to doctor it up! It sounds (and looks) YUMMY!
Jessi says
March 28, 2011 at 2:08 amYUM! I’m going to have to give these a try for my son’s birthday party this weekend.
Julie Huston says
August 1, 2011 at 8:16 pmI will have to try this. It sounds good.
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Erica says
August 1, 2011 at 9:53 pmThese sounds utterly delicious!
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Jenn says
August 1, 2011 at 10:27 pmHey, I have this cookbook, yet I have never tried this recipe! I will have to try it now that I know it is really good. You should come and enter my cookbook giveaway (if you like cookbooks)? http://eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com/2011/07/30-minute-rolls-and-giveaway.html
Ali says
August 2, 2011 at 7:38 amI think a lot of bakers will doctor up cake mixes. They may not all admit it, but some do! Hah. The cupcakes look fabulous. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
If you’d like, I wanted to invite you to share your best recipes over at my new party, Recipe Sharing Monday at Jam Hands. I’m going to be featuring my favorite submissions during the week and I’d love it if you’d join in the fun. :O)
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The Gloss Girls says
August 3, 2011 at 12:51 pmLook good!! And seems easy:)
Brandi says
August 3, 2011 at 4:59 pmHome made cupcakes are the best! I like to make mine with coconut oil ~ so yummy. 🙂 I think I have only bought one cake from a bakery. I was too tired right after having my 3rd baby to be creative with a Lord of the Rings cake. I like to do something different every year. I recently made a flower pot cake for my daughter’s 6th birthday. Turned out so pretty!
Rebekah Palmer says
December 13, 2011 at 9:49 pmHome made cupcakes are the best! Thanks for sharing! they sounds delicious!
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Crystal says
December 13, 2011 at 11:06 pmThese are so awesome Try them for your next party!
Jenny C. says
January 17, 2013 at 4:35 pmCan you use a chocolate cake mix (or any other flavors) or does it need to be butter golden? Also, can you use regular cream cheese (or is reduced fat better)? What kind of oil do you like best for baking? I want to try these for my sister’s birthday this weekend. Thanks!
Crystal says
January 18, 2013 at 5:23 amJenny- I have never tried it, but I bet it would taste just a great.
I don’t think it matters if you do low fat or regular cream cheese.
Hope your cake comes out lovely!
Rosalyn Harrison says
March 11, 2013 at 4:26 pmThey look delicious!! I’m drooling on my keyboard!
Jacqui Odell says
January 29, 2014 at 9:12 amI love the idea of using an ice cream scoop. I would love to have you hop over and share with us at Tell Me About It Tuesday! (http://www.sweetsillysara.com/2014/01/tell-me-about-it-tuesday-3.html)
Crystal says
January 29, 2014 at 12:08 pmThat small scooper is a lifesaver!
Off to check out your party.
Miz Helen says
February 2, 2014 at 1:03 pmGreat cupcake recipe, I need that cookbook! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen
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Jill says
February 2, 2014 at 8:52 pmThis sounds really yummy! And the pictures are adorable!
Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!
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Eva @ The Multitasking Mummy says
February 2, 2014 at 9:45 pmDelicious! I love a good and easy cupcake recipe for visitors or playgroup. Thanks for linking up on Mummy Mondays, apologies for commenting late!
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Jocelyn says
August 18, 2014 at 11:30 amWhat is your experience with freezing cupcakes when you need to make a very large batch? I am making 250 for a wedding and need to freeze and then decorate them all before the wedding. I decorate cake and freeze my cakes before my crumb coat. Just wondered your thoughts?
Thyrone Charles says
August 20, 2015 at 6:33 amIt’s just an awesome method to prepare a cupcake..
My mom used to make a cupcake but without cheese or vegetable oil..
Wanna tries this method. seems to be another yummy recipe you were shown.. 🙂
Anyhow thanks very much and keep up the good work.
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Lisa @ Fun Money Mom says
March 26, 2016 at 7:39 amI never thought to add cream cheese to the box mix but it sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try your recipe…I’m totally in the mood for cupcakes now!!!
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Crystal VanTassel-Lopez says
March 27, 2016 at 2:47 pmLisa, these cupcakes are seriously amazing!