Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Prepare the cake batter per directions on the box. Bake cupcakes as instructed on the box and let them cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, gently stir together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.

Let the berries sit until the liquid has fully dissolved the sugar, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Next, add the strawberry gelatin and cookies to a food processor and pulse 4–6 times until coarse crumbs are formed. Set aside.

When the cupcakes have cooled, strain the strawberries and reserve, as well as the liquid.

With a skewer or toothpick, poke about 7 holes in the top of each cupcake.

Spoon about a teaspoon of strawberry juice over each cupcake.

Then, fill a star-tipped piping bag with the whipped topping to frost the cupcakes.

Pipe the outer edge of the cupcake, leaving the center unfrosted, about the size of a quarter.

Fill about 1 Tbsp of strawberries in the center of each cupcake.

Add a generous dusting of the cookie crumbs all over the whipped topping and serve.